Astronomy:NGC 4651

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NGC 4651
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NGC 4651. Note the umbrella-shaped stream.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationComa Berenices
Right ascension 12h 43m 42.6766s[1]
Declination+16° 23′ 36.222″[1]
Redshift0.002669[1]
Helio radial velocity800 ± 1 km/s[1]
Distance74.20 ± 3.50 Mly (22.749 ± 1.074 Mpc)[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)11.39[1]
Characteristics
TypeSA(rs)c[1]
Size~87,900 ly (26.95 kpc) (estimated)[1]
Apparent size (V)4.0′ × 2.6′[1]
Other designations
Umbrella Galaxy, IRAS 12412+1639, Arp 189, UGC 7901, MCG+03-33-001, PGC 42833[1]
NGC 4651 imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope
Spiral galaxy NGC 4651. Credit: ESA / Hubble Space Telescope & NASA, D. Leonard

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[2] to 72 million light years.[3] It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 30 December 1783.[4]

Features

This member of the Virgo Cluster, located on its outskirts,[5] is known as the Umbrella Galaxy due to the umbrella-shaped structure that extends from its disk to the east and that is composed of stellar streams, being the remnants of a much smaller galaxy that has been torn apart by NGC 4651's tidal forces,[2][6] something that explains why NGC 4651 has been included on Halton Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies as Arp 189 -galaxy with filaments-.

Studies using radiotelescopes of the distribution of its neutral hydrogen show distortions on NGC 4651's outer regions and a gas clump associated with a dwarf galaxy that may have been born in the event that produced the mentioned stellar streams.[7]

Unlike most spiral galaxies of the Virgo Cluster, NGC 4651 is rich in neutral hydrogen, also extending beyond the optical disk,[7] and its star formation is typical for a galaxy of its type.[5]

Supernovae

Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 4651:

  • SN 1987K (Type II, mag. 15) was discovered by Carlton Pennypacker on 28 July 1987.[8][9]
  • SN 2006my (Type II, mag. 15.3) was discovered by Kōichi Itagaki on 8 November 2006.[10][11]

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 "Results for object NGC 4651". https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/byname?objname=ngc+4651. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Nemiroff, R.; Bonnell, J., eds (15 April 2010). "NGC 4651: The Umbrella Galaxy". Astronomy Picture of the Day. NASA. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100415.html. 
  3. Solanes, J. M.; Sanchis, T.; Salvador-Solé, E.; Giovanelli, R.; Haynes, M. P. (2002). "The Three-dimensional Structure of the Virgo Cluster Region from Tully-Fisher and H I Data". The Astronomical Journal 124 (5): 2440–2452. doi:10.1086/344074. Bibcode2002AJ....124.2440S. 
  4. Seligman, Courtney. "New General Catalogue Objects: NGC 4651". https://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc46a.htm#4651. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Koopmann, R.; Kenney, J. D. P. (2004). "Hα Morphologies and Environmental Effects in Virgo Cluster Spiral Galaxies". The Astrophysical Journal 613 (2): 866–885. doi:10.1086/423191. Bibcode2004ApJ...613..866K. 
  6. "Stellar Tidal Streams in Spiral Galaxies of the Local Volume". http://www.cosmotography.com/images/stellar_stream_survey_science_highlights.html. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 Chung, A.; Van Gorkom, J.H.; Kenney, J.F.P.; Crowl, Hugh; Vollmer, B. (2009). "VLA Imaging of Virgo Spirals in Atomic Gas (VIVA). I. The Atlas and the H I Properties". The Astronomical Journal 138 (6): 1741–1816. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/138/6/1741. Bibcode2009AJ....138.1741C. 
  8. Pollas, C.; Pennypacker, C. (1987). "Supernovae 1987J and 1987K". International Astronomical Union Circular (4426): 1. Bibcode1987IAUC.4426....1P. 
  9. "SN 1987K". IAU. https://www.wis-tns.org/object/1987K. 
  10. Nakano, S.; Itagaki, K. (2006). "Supernovae 2006my-2006ne". International Astronomical Union Circular (8773): 1. Bibcode2006IAUC.8773....1N. 
  11. "SN 2006my". IAU. https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2006my.