NGC 520

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NGC 520
Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 520 (2008-04-24).jpg
NGC 520 by HST
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation Pisces
Right ascension 01h 24m 35.071s [1]
Declination +03° 47 32.68 [1]
Redshift 0.007609±0.000010 [2]
Helio radial velocity 2,281±3 km/s [2]
Distance 105  Mly (32.2  Mpc) [3]
Apparent magnitude  (V)12.2 [4]
Characteristics
Type Pec [4]
Apparent size  (V)4.5′ [4]
Notable features Interacting galaxies
Other designations
UGC 966, Arp 157, [5] PGC 5193 [4]

NGC 520 is a pair of colliding spiral galaxies about 105 million light-years away in the constellation Pisces. [6] They were discovered by astronomer William Herschel on 13 December 1784. [7]

Halton Arp called this the second-brightest very disturbed galaxy in the sky, and it is as bright in the infrared and radio bands as the Antennae Galaxies. Simulations indicate this object consists of two galactic disks that began interacting about 300 million years ago. The system is still in an early stage of its merger, showing two separate velocity systems in the spectra, and two small tails. Two galactic nuclei have been detected, [8] and one is an H II nucleus. [9]

The main galactic component is being viewed edge-on, making it fainter in the optical band. The secondary component is brighter but less massive than the main, and is located to the northwest. They are separated by a dark lane of dust. The region of the galaxies outside their nuclei experienced a period of increased star formation roughly around the time they began to interact. [8] Two dwarf objects are located in the vicinity of this merging pair, and one of them, designated UGC957, is located in the northern tidal tail – it may be the result of the interaction. [10]

When viewed in the X-ray band, the interacting galaxies appear around half as luminous as expected given their merger state. Analysis of the gas and molecular features suggests the secondary merger component is gas poor. Most of the star formation, therefore, took place in the gas-rich main component to the southeast. 15 X-ray sources are detected within the merger, with many of them displaying long-term variability. A large galactic wind is evident, being driven by the starburst activity. [8]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3226</span> Dwarf elliptical galaxy in the constellation Leo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3486</span> Galaxy in the constellation Leo Minor

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5005</span> Galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7319</span> Galaxy in the constellation Pegasus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5614</span> Galaxy in the constellation Boötes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 2782</span> Galaxy in the constellation Lynx

NGC 2782 is a peculiar spiral galaxy that formed after a galaxy merger in the constellation Lynx. The galaxy lies 75 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 2782 is approximately 100,000 light years across. NGC 2782 has an active galactic nucleus and it is a starburst and a type 1 Seyfert galaxy. NGC 2782 is mentioned in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies in the category galaxies with adjacent loops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3256</span> Peculiar galaxy in the constellation Vela

NGC 3256 is a peculiar galaxy formed from the collision of two separate galaxies in the constellation of Vela. NGC 3256 is located about 100 million light-years away and belongs to the Hydra–Centaurus Supercluster complex. NGC 3256 provides a nearby template for studying the properties of young star clusters in tidal tails. The system hides a double nucleus and a tangle of dust lanes in the central region. The telltale signs of the collision are two extended luminous tails swirling out from the galaxy. The tails are studded with a particularly high density of star clusters. NGC 3256 is the most luminous galaxy in the infrared spectrum located within z 0.01 from Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3367</span> Spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo

NGC 3367 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo. It is located at a distance of about 120 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3367 is about 85,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 19, 1784.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1380</span> Galaxy in the constellation Fornax

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 6621</span> Galaxy in the constellation Draco

NGC 6621 is an interacting spiral galaxy in the constellation Draco. It lies at a distance of circa 260 million light-years. NGC 6621 interacts with NGC 6622, with their closest approach having taken place about 100 million years before the moment seen now. The pair was discovered by Edward D. Swift and Lewis A. Swift on June 2, 1885. Originally NGC 6621 was assigned to the southeast galaxy, but now it refers to the northern one. NGC 6621 and NGC 6622 are included in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies as Arp 81 in the category "spiral galaxies with large high surface brightness companions".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 5363</span> Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4074</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

NGC 4074 is a peculiar lenticular galaxy located 310 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 27, 1785 and is a member of the NGC 4065 Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 4800</span> Galaxy in constellation Canes Venatici

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 1142</span> Interacting and distorted spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 3656</span> Peculiar galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 7592</span> Interacting galaxy system in the constellation Aquarius

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References

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