NGC 1407 | |
---|---|
Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
Constellation | Eridanus |
Right ascension | 03h 40m 11.9s[1] |
Declination | −18° 34′ 48″[1] |
Redshift | 1,779 ± 9 km/s[1] |
Distance | 76 Mly (23.3 Mpc)[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.7 |
Characteristics | |
Type | E0[1] |
Apparent size (V) | 4′.6 × 4′.3[1] |
Other designations | |
ESO 548- G 067, PGC 13505[1] |
NGC 1407 is an elliptical galaxy in Eridanus. It is at a distance of 76 million light-years from Earth. It is the brightest galaxy in the NGC 1407 Group, part of the Eridanus Group, with NGC 1407 being its brightest member.[2] NGC 1400, the second-brightest of the group lies 11.8 arcmin away.
NGC 1407 is X-ray luminous, with high hot gas Fe abundance,[3] and with evidence of recurrent radio outbursts.[4] In the central area of the galaxy are present old stars, with mean age 12.0 ± 1.1 Gyrs, that are metal rich and with supersolar abundances of α-elements. Observations indicate that NGC 1407 hasn't recently undergone strong star-formation activity.[5] The galaxy hosts a supermassive black hole with a mass 1.12 ± 0.42 billion solar masses, based on velocity dispersion.[6]
The galaxy was discovered by 6 October 1785 by William Herschel.[7]