NGC 4647

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NGC 4647
NGC 4647 cropped.jpg
Hubble image of the galaxy NGC 4647.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension 12h 43m 32.3s [1]
Declination 11° 34 55 [1]
Redshift 0.004700/1409 km/s [1]
Distance 63 Mly (estimated)
Group or cluster Virgo Cluster
Apparent magnitude  (V)11.94 [1]
Characteristics
Type SAB(rs)c [1]
Size~90,000 ly (estimated)
Apparent size  (V)2.9 x 2.3 [1]
Other designations
Arp 116, CGCG 71-15, IRAS 12410+1151, KCPG 353A, MCG 2-33-1, PGC 42816, UGC 7896, V V 206, VCC 1972 [1]

NGC 4647 is an intermediate spiral galaxy estimated to be around 63 million light-years away [2] in the constellation of Virgo. [3] It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on March 15, 1784. [3] NGC 4647 is listed along with Messier 60 as being part of a pair of galaxies called Arp 116; [4] [5] their designation in Halton Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. The galaxy is located on the outskirts of the Virgo Cluster. [6]

Contents

Interaction with Messier 60

In optical images, the two galaxies' disks overlap. This has suggested an ongoing interaction, however images do not reveal any signs of star formation which would have been caused by a tidal interaction between the two galaxies. Recent studies of Hubble images made in 2012 of the two galaxies indicate that tidal interactions between the two have just begun. [7]

Interstellar medium of NGC 4647

The gas in NGC 4647 has been mildly disturbed. The galaxy's location in the Virgo Cluster suggests that it might have suffered an effect known as ram-pressure stripping caused by the intracluster medium. Another explanation may be hot gas in the halo of Messier 60. The hot gas in Messier 60 may have increased the pressure of gas on the eastern side of NGC 4647 through either ram-pressure stripping or a bow-shock between the two galaxies causing the observed asymmetry of gas in the galaxy. The difficulty is that the galaxies would have to be so close that tidal forces from Messier 60 would cause the disk of NGC 4647 to get ripped apart. [8]

Supernovae

On January 25, 1979 a supernova 1979A was discovered in NGC 4647. [9] [10]

On 16 April 2022, a Type Ia supernova 2022hrs was discovered. [11] [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 60</span> Elliptical galaxy in the constellation Virgo

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

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4457</span> Galaxy in the constellation of Virgo

NGC 4457 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located about 55 million light-years away in the constellation of Virgo. It is also classified as a LINER galaxy, a class of active galaxy defined by their spectral line emissions. NGC 4457 Is inclined by about 33°. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on February 23, 1784. Despite being listed in the Virgo Cluster Catalog as VCC 1145, NGC 4457 is a member of the Virgo II Groups which form an extension of the Virgo cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4633</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4633 is a spiral galaxy located about 70 million light-years away in the constellation of Coma Berenices. It is interacting with the nearby galaxy NGC 4634. NGC 4633 was discovered by astronomer Edward D. Swift on April 27, 1887. It was rediscovered on November 23, 1900, by astronomer Arnold Schwassmann and was later listed as IC 3688. NGC 4633 is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4476</span> Galaxy in the constellation of Virgo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4522</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation of Virgo

NGC 4522 is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 60 million light-years away within the Virgo Cluster in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4522 is losing its molecular gas though ram-pressure stripping as it plows though the cluster at a speed of more than 10 million kilometres per hour. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer John Herschel on January 18, 1828.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4607</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4607 is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 56 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. NGC 4607 was discovered by astronomer R. J. Mitchell on April 24, 1854. The galaxy is a member of the Virgo Cluster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 2936</span> Interacting spiral galaxy in the constellation Hydra

NGC 2936 is an interacting spiral galaxy located at a distance of 326 million light years, in the constellation Hydra. NGC 2936 is interacting with elliptical galaxy NGC 2937, located just beneath it. They were both discovered by Albert Marth on Mar 3, 1864. To some astronomers, the galaxy looks like a penguin or a porpoise. NGC 2936, NGC 2937, and PGC 1237172 are included in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies as Arp 142 in the category "Galaxy triplet".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4647. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
  2. "APOD: 2016 January 28 - Elliptical M60, Spiral NGC 4647". apod.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  3. 1 2 "New General Catalog Objects: NGC 4600 - 4649". cseligman.com. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  4. "NASA - Odd Galaxy Couple on Space Voyage". www.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  5. "Your NED Search Results". ned.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  6. Cullen, Harriet; Alexander, Paul; Green, D.; Sheth, K. (November 2004). "Neutral ISM in the Interacting Spiral NGC 4647". ASP Conference Series. 320: 156–157. Bibcode:2004ASPC..320..156C.
  7. "Hubble Heritage". heritage.stsci.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  8. Young, L. M.; Rosolowsky, E.; Gorkom, J. H. Van; Lamb, S. A. Lamb (15 June 2006). "The Evolution of the Interstellar Medium in the Mildly Disturbed Spiral Galaxy NGC 4647". The Astrophysical Journal. 650 (1): 166–179. arXiv: astro-ph/0606410 . Bibcode:2006ApJ...650..166Y. doi:10.1086/506959. S2CID   18351912.
  9. "1979A | Transient Name Server". wis-tns.weizmann.ac.il. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  10. Randall, Scott W.; Sarazin, Craig L.; Irwin, Jimmy A. (5 September 2005). "XMM‐Newton Observation of Diffuse Gas and Low‐Mass X‐Ray Binaries in the Elliptical Galaxy NGC 4649 (M60)". The Astrophysical Journal. 636: 200–213. arXiv: astro-ph/0509156 . doi: 10.1086/497977 .
  11. "2022hrs". Transient Name Server. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  12. "2022hrs images". Latest Supernovae. Retrieved 21 April 2022.