NGC 4567 and NGC 4568

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NGC 4567 and NGC 4568
NGC 4567 & 4568.png
The Butterfly Galaxies with NGC 4567 (top) and NGC 4568 (bottom)
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension 12h 36m 34.3s
Declination +11° 14′ 17″
Distance 62  Mly (19.1  Mpc) [1]
Apparent magnitude  (V)+10.9
Absolute magnitude  (V)-13.3
Characteristics
Type SA(rs)bc / SA(rs)bc
Apparent size  (V)4.6′ × 2.1′
Notable features colliding galaxies
Other designations
NGC 4567/8, UGC 7776/7, PGC 42064/9, VV 219, [2] KPG 347, [3] Butterfly Galaxies, [4] Siamese Twin Galaxies, Siamese Twins Galaxies, Siamese Twins [5] [NB 1]

NGC 4567 and NGC 4568 (nicknamed the Butterfly Galaxies [4] or Siamese Twins [NB 1] [5] ) are a set of unbarred spiral galaxies about 60 million light-years away [1] in the constellation Virgo. They were both discovered by William Herschel in 1784. They are part of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

Contents

These galaxies are in the process of colliding and merging with each other, as studies of their distributions of neutral and molecular hydrogen show, with the highest star-formation activity in the part where they overlap. However, the system is still in an early phase of interaction. [6] In about 500 million years the galaxies will coalesce into a single elliptical galaxy. [7]

Four supernovae have been observed in the Butterfly Galaxies: SN 1990B (type Ib, mag. 16), [8] SN 2004cc (type Ic, mag. 17.5), [9] SN 2020fqv (type IIb, mag. 19), [10] and SN 2023ijd (type II, mag. 16.8). [11]

SN 2023idj in NGC 4568 as seen on 2023-May-17. SN2023ijd-NGC4568-20230517-0945.png
SN 2023idj in NGC 4568 as seen on 2023-May-17.

Naming controversy

The two galaxies were nicknamed "Siamese Twins" because they appear to be connected. On August 5, 2020, NASA announced that they would not use that nickname in an effort to avoid systemic discrimination in their terminology. [12] [13]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 NASA no longer uses the "Siamese Twins" terms due to perceived discriminatory naming

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 61</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

Messier 61 is an intermediate barred spiral galaxy in the Virgo Cluster of galaxies. It was first discovered by Barnaba Oriani on May 5, 1779, six days before Charles Messier discovered the same galaxy. Messier had observed it on the same night as Oriani but had mistaken it for a comet. Its distance has been estimated to be 45.61 million light years from the Milky Way Galaxy. It is a member of the M61 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4216</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4216 is a metal-rich intermediate spiral galaxy located not far from the center of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, roughly 55 million light-years away. It is seen nearly edge-on.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 6744</span> Galaxy in the constellation Pavo

NGC 6744 is an intermediate spiral galaxy about 30 million light-years away in the constellation Pavo (Peacock). It is considered as a Milky Way mimic in the immediate vicinity, displaying flocculent (fluffy) arms and an elongated core. It also has at least one distorted companion galaxy superficially similar to one of the Magellanic Clouds. It was discovered from Parramatta in Australia by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop on 30 June 1826.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arp 240</span> Pair of interacting galaxies in the constellation Virgo

Arp 240 is a pair of interacting spiral galaxies located in the constellation Virgo. The two galaxies are listed together as Arp 240 in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. The galaxy on the right is known as NGC 5257, while the galaxy on the left is known as NGC 5258. Both galaxies are distorted by the gravitational interaction, and both are connected by a tidal bridge, as can be seen in images of these galaxies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4639</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4639 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on April 12, 1784. John L. E. Dreyer described it as "pretty bright, small, extended, mottled but not resolved, 12th magnitude star 1 arcmin to southeast". This is a relatively nearby galaxy, lying approximately 72 million light-years away from the Milky Way. It is a companion to NGC 4654, and the two appear to have interacted roughly 500 million years ago. NGC 4639 is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3504</span> Galaxy in the constellation Leo Minor

NGC 3504 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo Minor. It is a member of the NGC 3504 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Leo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the right edge of the Virgo Supercluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arp 271</span> Interacting galaxies in the constellation Virgo

Arp 271 is a pair of similarly sized interacting spiral galaxies, NGC 5426 and NGC 5427, in the constellation of Virgo. It is not certain whether the galaxies are going to eventually collide or not. They will continue interacting for tens of millions of years, creating new stars as a result of the mutual gravitational attraction between the galaxies, a pull seen in the bridge of stars already connecting the two. Located about 130 million light-years away, the Arp 271 pair is about 130,000 light-years across. It was originally discovered in 1785 by William Herschel. It is speculated, that the Milky Way will undergo a similar collision in about five billion years with the neighbouring Andromeda Galaxy, which is currently located about 2.6 million light-years away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4697</span> Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4697 is an elliptical galaxy some 40 to 50 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It is a member of the NGC 4697 Group, a group of galaxies also containing NGC 4731 and several generally much smaller galaxies. This group is about 55 million light-years away; it is one of the many Virgo II Groups, which form a southern extension of the Virgo Supercluster of galaxies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5775</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 5775 is a spiral galaxy, a member of the Virgo Cluster, that lies at a distance of about 70 million light-years. Although the spiral is tilted away from us, with only a thin sliver in view, such a perspective can be advantageous for astronomers. For instance, astronomers have previously used the high inclination of this spiral to study the properties of the halo of hot gas that is visible when the galaxy is observed at X-ray wavelengths. It is a member of the NGC 5775 Group of galaxies, itself one of the Virgo III Groups strung out to the east of the Virgo Supercluster of galaxies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4651</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4651 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation of Coma Berenices that can be seen with amateur telescopes, at a distance not well determined that ranges from 35 million light years to 72 million light years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4527</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4527 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It is a member of the M61 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 6560</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Hercules

NGC 6560 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Hercules. It was discovered by Lewis A. Swift on 22 October 1886.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 138</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces

NGC 138 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces. It was discovered on August 29, 1864, by Albert Marth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4454</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4454 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 123 million light-years away in the constellation of Virgo. NGC 4454 was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 17, 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4647</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4647 is an intermediate spiral galaxy estimated to be around 63 million light-years away in the constellation of Virgo. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on March 15, 1784. NGC 4647 is listed along with Messier 60 as being part of a pair of galaxies called Arp 116; their designation in Halton Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. The galaxy is located on the outskirts of the Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5468</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 5468 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is located at a distance of about 140 million light-years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 5468 is about 110,000 light-years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 5, 1785.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5331</span> Galaxy pair in the constellation Virgo

NGC 5331 is a pair of two interacting spiral galaxies in the constellation Virgo. They were discovered by William Herschel on May 13, 1793.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3705</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo

NGC 3705 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. It was discovered by William Herschel on Jan 18, 1784. It is a member of the Leo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the right edge of the Virgo Supercluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4900</span> Barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4900 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It was discovered by William Herschel on April 30, 1786. It is a member of the NGC 4753 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Virgo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the southern edge of the Virgo Supercluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 991</span> Intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus

NGC 991 is an intermediate spiral galaxy the constellation Cetus. This galaxy was discovered by astronomer William Herschel in 1785.

References

  1. 1 2 "Distance Results for NGC 4568". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  2. ↑ "VV 219 -- Interacting Galaxies". SIMBAD.
  3. ↑ "KPG 347 -- Pair of Galaxies". SIMBAD.
  4. 1 2 Cong Xu; Yu Gao; Joseph Mazzarella; Nanyao Lu; Jack W. Sulentic; Donovan L. Domingue (2000). "Mapping IR Enhancements in Closely Interacting Spiral-Spiral Pairs. I. IS0 CAM and IS0 SWS Observations". 10.1.1.317.8256.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. 1 2 Cudnik B. (2013). "The Nature of Galaxies and Galaxy Clusters". Faint Objects and How to Observe Them. Astronomers' Observing Guides. Springer. pp. 71–91. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-6757-2_4. ISBN   978-1-4419-6756-5.
  6. ↑ Kaneko, H.; Kuno, N.; Iono, D.; Tosaki, T.; Sawada, T.; Nakanishi, H.; Hirota, A. (2010). "Molecular Gas in the Early Stage of Interacting Galaxies: The NGC 4567/8 Pair". Galaxy Wars: Stellar Populations and Star Formation in Interacting Galaxies. 423: 26. Bibcode:2010ASPC..423...26K.
  7. ↑ "The merging galaxy pair NGC 4568 and NGC 4567".
  8. ↑ Transient Name Server entry for SN 1990B. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  9. ↑ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2004cc. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "SN 2020fqv". Transient Name Server.
  11. ↑ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2023ijd. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  12. ↑ Haworth, Jon (August 9, 2020), "NASA drops 'insensitive' celestial nicknames in effort to address systemic discrimination", ABC News, retrieved 2020-08-10
  13. ↑ "NASA to Reexamine Nicknames for Cosmic Objects - NASA". 5 August 2020.


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