NGC 5866
NGC 5866, as observed by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationDraco
Right ascension15h 06m 29.5s[1]
Declination+55° 45′ 48″[1]
Redshift0.002518±0.000017[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity755±5 km/s[1]
Galactocentric velocity901±8 km/s[1]
Distance50 ± 3 Mly (15.3 ± 0.7 Mpc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)9.9[3]
Characteristics
TypeS0[1]
Size~60,000 ly
(18,400 pc)[4]
Apparent size (V)4.7′ x 1.9′[1]
Notable featuresThe galaxy is viewed edge on
Other designations
Spindle Galaxy,[5] UGC 9723,[1] PGC 53933[1]

NGC 5866 (also called the Spindle Galaxy) is a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Draco. NGC 5866 was most likely discovered by Pierre Méchain or Charles Messier in 1781, and independently found by William Herschel in 1788. Measured orbital velocities of its globular cluster system[6] imply that dark matter makes up only 34±45% of the mass within 5 effective radii, a notable paucity.

Dust lane

One of the most outstanding features of NGC 5866 is the extended dust disk, which is seen almost exactly edge-on.[7] This dust lane is highly unusual for a lenticular galaxy. The dust in most lenticular galaxies is generally found only near the nucleus and generally follows the light profile of the galaxies' bulges.[8][9] This dust disk may contain a ring-like structure, although the shape of this structure is difficult to determine given the edge-on orientation of the galaxy.[9] It is also possible that the galaxy is a spiral galaxy that was misclassified as a lenticular galaxy because of its edge-on orientation, in which case the dust lane would not be too unusual.[8]

Galaxy group information

NGC 5866 is one of the brightest galaxies in the NGC 5866 Group, a small galaxy group that also includes the spiral galaxies NGC 5879 and NGC 5907.[10][11][12] This group may actually be a subclump at the northwest end of a large, elongated structure that comprises the M51 Group and the M101 Group, although most sources distinguish the three groups as separate entities.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 5866. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  2. ^ J. L. Tonry; A. Dressler; J. P. Blakeslee; E. A. Ajhar; et al. (2001). "The SBF Survey of Galaxy Distances. IV. SBF Magnitudes, Colors, and Distances". The Astrophysical Journal. 546 (2): 681–693. arXiv:astro-ph/0011223. Bibcode:2001ApJ...546..681T. doi:10.1086/318301. S2CID 17628238.
  3. ^ "Messier 102". SEDS Messier Catalog. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  4. ^ Hubble site http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2006/24/image/a/
  5. ^ "NGC 5866". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 30 October 2006.
  6. ^ Adebusola B. Alabi; Duncan A. Forbes; Aaron J. Romanowsky; Jean P. Brodie; Jay Strader; Joachim Janz; Christopher Usher; Lee R. Spitler; Sabine Bellstedt; Anna Ferre-Mateu (20 May 2016). "The SLUGGS survey: the mass distribution in early-type galaxies within five effective radii and beyond". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 460 (4): 3838–3860. arXiv:1605.06101. Bibcode:2016MNRAS.460.3838A. doi:10.1093/mnras/stw1213. S2CID 55054073.
  7. ^ Plait, Phil (17 May 2019). "NGC 5866, an edge-on galaxy, shows off its spectacular dust lane". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  8. ^ a b G. J. Bendo; R. D. Joseph; M. Wells; P. Gallais; et al. (2002). "An Infrared Space Observatory Atlas of Bright Spiral Galaxies". Astronomical Journal. 123 (6): 3067–3107. Bibcode:2002AJ....123.3067B. doi:10.1086/340083.
  9. ^ a b E. M. Xilouris; S. C. Madden; F. Galliano; L. Vigroux; et al. (2004). "Dust emission in early-type galaxies: The mid-infrared view". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 416 (1): 41–55. arXiv:astro-ph/0312029. Bibcode:2004A&A...416...41X. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034020. S2CID 12635736.
  10. ^ R. B. Tully (1988). Nearby Galaxies Catalog. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-35299-4.
  11. ^ Af. Garcia (1993). "General study of group membership. II – Determination of nearby groups". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement. 100: 47–90. Bibcode:1993A&AS..100...47G.
  12. ^ G. Giuricin; C. Marinoni; L. Ceriani; A. Pisani (2000). "Nearby Optical Galaxies: Selection of the Sample and Identification of Groups". The Astrophysical Journal. 543 (1): 178–194. arXiv:astro-ph/0001140. Bibcode:2000ApJ...543..178G. doi:10.1086/317070. S2CID 9618325.
  13. ^ L. Ferrarese; H. C. Ford; J. Huchra; R. C. Kennicutt Jr.; et al. (2000). "A Database of Cepheid Distance Moduli and Tip of the Red Giant Branch, Globular Cluster Luminosity Function, Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function, and Surface Brightness Fluctuation Data Useful for Distance Determinations". Astrophysical Journal Supplement. 128 (2): 431–459. arXiv:astro-ph/9910501. Bibcode:2000ApJS..128..431F. doi:10.1086/313391. S2CID 121612286.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to NGC 5866.
Messier objects
New General Catalogue 5500 to 5999
Constellation of Draco
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