NGC_4608

NGC 4608

NGC 4608

Galaxy in the constellation Virgo

NGC 4608 is a barred lenticular galaxy located in the constellation of Virgo. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on March 15, 1784.[3] At about 56 million light-years (17.3 megaparsecs) away,[2] it is a member of the Virgo Cluster.[4]

Quick Facts Observation data (J2000 epoch), Constellation ...

Physical characteristics

NGC 4608 has a very well-defined bar. Surrounding the bar, there is an inner ring that is defined by a sharp inner edge. Outside of the inner ring,[5] there is a low surface brightness disk[6] that contains weak spiral features.[5]

The center of NGC 4608 is a classical bulge, which is a bulge similar to an elliptical galaxy.[2] The disk in NGC 4608 is practically considered non-existent. One explanation is that the bar in the galaxy was able to form without a disk. Another explanation says that a weak bar forms initially. Over time, the bar grows by causing the external disk to lose angular momentum therefore funneling material toward the bulge. Then the bar would be surrounded by a halo with very little or no disk left.[6]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Results for object NGC 4608 (NGC 4608)". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2021-04-26.
  2. [2]
    Erwin, Peter; Seth, Anil; Debattista, Victor P.; Seidel, Marja; Mehrgan, Kianusch; Thomas, Jens; Saglia, Roberto; De Lorenzo-Cáceres, Adriana; MacIejewski, Witold; Fabricius, Maximilian; Méndez-Abreu, Jairo; Hopp, Ulrich; Kluge, Matthias; Beckman, John E.; Bender, Ralf; Drory, Niv; Fisher, Deanne (2021). "Composite bulges – II. Classical bulges and nuclear discs in barred galaxies: The contrasting cases of NGC 4608 and NGC 4643". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 502 (2): 2446–2473. arXiv:2101.05321. Bibcode:2021MNRAS.502.2446E. doi:10.1093/mnras/stab126.
  3. [3]
    "New General Catalog Objects: NGC 4600 - 4649". cseligman.com. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  4. [4]
    "Detailed Object Classifications". ned.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-04.
  5. [5]
    "NGC 4608 - SB(r)0/a". The de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxies. Archived from the original on 2019-03-02. Retrieved 2017-09-04.
  6. [6]
    Gadotti, D. A.; de Souza, R. E. (8 January 2003). "NGC 4608 and NGC 5701: Barred Galaxies without Disks?". The Astrophysical Journal. 583 (2): L75–L78. arXiv:astro-ph/0301072. Bibcode:2003ApJ...583L..75G. doi:10.1086/368159. S2CID 14682379.
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