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NGC 4762
Observation data ( J2000 epoch)
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension12h 52m 56.05s [1]
Declination+11° 13′ 51″ [1]
Redshift986 ± 5 km/ s [1]
Distance 58 Mly (17.8 Mpc) [1]
Group or cluster Virgo Cluster
Apparent magnitude (V)11.12
Characteristics
TypeSB(r)0^0^, LINER [1]
Apparent size (V)8.7 × 1.7 [1]
Other designations
UGC 8016, PGC 43733, VCC 2095 [1]

NGC 4762 is an edge-on lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It is at a distance of 60 million light years and is a member of the Virgo Cluster. The edge-on view of this particular galaxy, originally considered to be a barred spiral galaxy, makes it difficult to determine its true shape, but it is considered that the galaxy consists of four main components — a central bulge, a bar, a thick disc and an outer ring. The galaxy's disc is asymmetric and warped, which could be explained by NGC 4762 merging with a smaller galaxy in the past. The remains of this former companion may then have settled within NGC 4762's disc, redistributing the gas and stars and so changing the disc's morphology. [2]

NGC 4762 contains a Liner-type active galactic nucleus, a highly energetic central region. This nucleus is detectable due to its particular spectral line emission, allowing astronomers to measure the composition of the region. [2]

NGC 4762 forms a non-interacting [3] pair with the galaxy NGC 4754. [4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4762. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  2. ^ a b "A galaxy on the edge". www.spacetelescope.org. ESA/Hubble & NASA. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Object of the Week May 18, 2014 The Flattest Galaxy NGC 4762". www.deepskyforum.com. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
  4. ^ "Detailed Object Classifications". ned.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-25.

External links