| NGC 4639 | |
|---|---|
| NGC 4639 imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope [1] | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 42m 52.37814s [2] |
| Declination | +13° 15′ 26.7129″ [2] |
| Heliocentric radial velocity | 989 km/s [3] |
| Distance | 72.02 ± 0.23 Mly (22.08 ± 0.07 Mpc) [3] |
| Group or cluster | Virgo Cluster |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 12.2 [4] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SAB(rs)bc [5] |
| Apparent size (V) | 2′.8 × 1′.9 [4] |
| Notable features | Seyfert type 1 |
| Other designations | |
| IRAS 12403+1331, LEDA 42741, MCG+02-32-189, NGC 4639, UGC 7884, VCC 1943, [6] PGC 42741 [4] | |
NGC 4639 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on 12 April 1784. John L. E. Dreyer described it as "pretty bright, small, extended, mottled but not resolved, 12th magnitude star 1 arcmin to southeast". [7] This is a relatively nearby galaxy, [8] lying approximately 72 million light-years away from the Milky Way. [3] It is a companion to NGC 4654, and the two appear to have interacted roughly 500 million years ago. [9] NGC 4639 is a member of the Virgo Cluster. [10]
The morphological classification of this galaxy is SAB(rs)bc, [5] indicating a spiral galaxy with a weak bar (SAB), an incomplete ring around the bar (rs), and moderate to loosely-wound spiral arms (bc). NGC 4639 has a mildly active galactic nucleus of the Seyfert type 1; one of the weakest known. The compact central source has been detected by its X-ray emission, and is variable on timescales of months to years. [8] There is a supermassive black hole at the core [11] with an estimated mass of 7.9×106 M☉ . [12]
Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 4639: