NGC 5468 | |
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![]() NGC 5468 by Hubble Space Telescope | |
Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
Constellation | Virgo |
Right ascension | 14h 06m 34.9s [1] |
Declination | −05° 27′ 11″ [1] |
Redshift | 0.009480 ± 0.000013 [1] |
Heliocentric radial velocity | 2,842 ± 4 km/s [1] |
Distance | 138 ± 22.7 Mly (42.5 ± 7.0 Mpc) [1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 12.5 [2] |
Characteristics | |
Type | SAB(rs)cd [1] |
Apparent size (V) | 2′.6 × 2′.4 [1] |
Other designations | |
UGCA 384, MCG -01-36-007, PGC 50323 [1] |
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. [3]
NGC 5468 has been home to six supernovae observed since 1999: SN 1999cp (type Ia, mag. 18.2), [4] SN 2002cr (type Ia, mag. 16.5), [5] SN 2002ed (type IIP, mag. 16.5), [6] SN 2005P (type Ia-pec, mag. 18.1), [7] SN 2018dfg (type IIb, mag. 15.9), [8] [9] and SN 2023cj (type Ic, mag. 17). [10] NGC 5468 is seen face-on, and the spiral pattern is open. The two principal arms emanate from a small bar and start to branch into several thin fragments after some distance. Three large H II regions and some fainter ones can be seen in the images of the Carnegie Atlas of Galaxies. [11] These regions feature intense star formation. SN 2005P was located at the edge of one of these regions. [12] As of 2024, NGC 5468 is the most distant galaxy in which Hubble Space Telescope has detected Cepheid variable stars, which are important milepost markers for measuring distances. [13]
NGC 5468 forms a non-interacting pair with NGC 5472, which lies at a projected distance of 5.1 arcminutes. NGC 5468 belongs to the NGC 5493 galaxy group. Other members of the group are the interacting pair Arp 271 (NGC 5426 and NGC 5427), NGC 5476, and NGC 5493. [14]
Messier 83 or M83, also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy and NGC 5236, is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 15 million light-years away in the constellation borders of Hydra and Centaurus. Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille discovered M83 on 17 February 1752 at the Cape of Good Hope. Charles Messier added it to his catalogue of nebulous objects in March 1781.
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.
Messier 66 or M66, also known as NGC 3627, is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the southern, equatorial half of Leo. It was discovered by French astronomer Charles Messier on 1 March 1780, who described it as "very long and very faint". This galaxy is a member of a small group of galaxies that includes M65 and NGC 3628, known as the Leo Triplet or the M66 Group. M65 and M66 are a common object for amateur astronomic observation, being separated by only 20′.
NGC 4414, also known as the Dusty Spiral Galaxy, is an unbarred spiral galaxy about 62 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. It is a flocculent spiral galaxy, with short segments of spiral structure but without the dramatic well-defined spiral arms of a grand design spiral. Four supernovae have been observed in this galaxy: SN 1974G, SN 2013df, SN 2021J, and SN 2023hlf.
NGC 2841 is an unbarred spiral galaxy in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major. It was discovered on 9 March, 1788 by German-born astronomer William Herschel. J. L. E. Dreyer, the author of the New General Catalogue, described it as, "very bright, large, very much extended 151°, very suddenly much brighter middle equal to 10th magnitude star". Initially thought to be about 30 million light-years distant, a 2001 Hubble Space Telescope survey of the galaxy's Cepheid variables determined its distance to be approximately 14.1 megaparsecs or 46 million light-years. The optical size of the galaxy is 8.1′ × 3.5′.
NGC 4088 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. The galaxy forms a physical pair with NGC 4085, which is located 11′ away.
NGC 5253 is an irregular galaxy in the constellation Centaurus. It was discovered by William Herschel on 15 March 1787.
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.
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.
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.
NGC 3021 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Leo Minor. It is about 93 million light-years away from Earth, and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 1,537±4 km/s. This galaxy was discovered December 7, 1785 by Anglo-German astronomer William Herschel. The morphological classification of NGC 3021 is SA(rs)bc, which indicates a spiral galaxy with no central bar (SA), an incomplete inner ring structure (rs), and moderate to loosely wound spiral arms (bc).
NGC 488 is a face-on spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces. It is at a distance of about 90 million light-years away from Earth. Its diameter is estimated to be 52,6 Kpc. The galaxy has a large central bulge, and is considered a prototype galaxy with multiple spiral arms. Its arms are tightly wound. Star forming activity has been traced within the arms. The nucleus of NGC 488 has been found to be chemically decoupled, being twice as metal rich as the central bulge of the galaxy. NGC 488, with the exception of its smaller companions, that form NGC 488 group, is an isolated galaxy.
NGC 908 is an unbarred spiral galaxy in the constellation Cetus. It was discovered in 1786 by William Herschel. This galaxy is 56 million light years away from Earth. It is the main galaxy in the NGC 908 group, which also includes NGC 899, NGC 907, and IC 223.
NGC 1448 or NGC 1457 is an unbarred spiral galaxy seen nearly edge-on in the constellation Horologium. It is at a distance of 55 million light years from Earth. It was discovered by John Herschel in 1835.
NGC 3464 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Hydra, discovered 14 January 1886 by Ormond Stone.
NGC 3506 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. It is located at a distance of circa 300 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3506 is about 115,000 light years across. The galaxy has two main spiral arms, with high surface brightness, which can be traced for half a revolution before they fade. One arm splits into four spiral arcs.
NGC 4699 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. It is located at a distance of about 65 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 4699 is about 85,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1786. It is a member of the NGC 4699 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.
NGC 5018 is an elliptical galaxy located in the constellation of Virgo at an approximate distance of 132.51 Mly. NGC 5018 was discovered in 1788 by William Herschel.
NGC 3810 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo. It is about 50 million light years from Earth, and estimated to be about 60,000 light years in diameter. William Herschel discovered it on 15 March 1784.
NGC 7448 is a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Pegasus. It is located at a distance of circa 80 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 7448 is about 60,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on October 16, 1784. It is included in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies in the category galaxies with detached segments.