NGC 55
| NGC 55 | |
|---|---|
NGC 55 as observed at ultraviolet wavelengths by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). Credit: NASA/JPL/GALEX. |
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| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Sculptor[1] |
| Right ascension | 00h 14m 53.6s[2] |
| Declination | -39° 11′ 48″[2] |
| Redshift | 129 ± 2 km/s[2] |
| Distance |
7.2 ± 0.7 Mly |
| Type | SB(s)m[2] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 32′.4 × 5′.6[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 7.87[5][6] |
| Other designations | |
| PGC 1014,[2] Caldwell 72 | |
| See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies | |
NGC 55 (also known as Caldwell 72) is a barred irregular galaxy located about 7 million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor. Along with its neighbor NGC 300, it is one the closest galaxies to the Local Group, probably lying between us and the Sculptor Group.
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[edit] Nearby galaxies and group information
NGC 55 and the spiral galaxy NGC 300 have traditionally been identified as members of the Sculptor Group, a nearby group of galaxies in the constellation of the same name. However, recent distance measurements indicate that the two galaxies actually lie in the foreground.[7]
It is likely that NGC 55 and NGC 300 form a gravitationally bound pair.[4]
[edit] Visual appearance
The Webb Society Deep-Sky Observer's Handbook,[8] writes the following about NGC 55: "Nearly edge-on and appears asymmetrical with some signs of dust near the bulge, which is diffuse, broad and somewhat elongated with the south edge sharp; southeast of the bulge it is strongly curved and lined with 4 or 5 faint knots; north edge of the curve is sharp." Burnham calls it "one of the outstanding galaxies of the southern heavens", somewhat resembling a smaller version of the Large Magellenic Cloud.[9]
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- ^ R. W. Sinnott, editor (1988). The Complete New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters by J. L. E. Dreyer. Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-933-34651-4.
- ^ a b c d e f "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 55. http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/. Retrieved 2006-10-17.
- ^ a b Karachentsev, I. D.; Kashibadze, O. G. (2006). "Masses of the local group and of the M81 group estimated from distortions in the local velocity field". Astrophysics 49 (1): 3–18. Bibcode 2006Ap.....49....3K. doi:10.1007/s10511-006-0002-6.
- ^ a b c van de Steene, G. C.; et al. (2006). "Distance determination to NGC 55 from the planetary nebula luminosity function". Astronomy and Astrophysics 455 (3): 891–896. Bibcode 2006A&A...455..891V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20053475.
- ^ "SIMBAD-NGC55". SIMBAD Astronomical Database. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=NGC+55. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
- ^ Armando, Gil de Paz; et al. (2007). "The GALEX Ultraviolet Atlas of Nearby Galaxies". Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 173 (2): 185–255. arXiv:astro-ph/0606440. Bibcode 2007ApJS..173..185G. doi:10.1086/516636.
- ^ I. D. Karachentsev et al. (2003). "Distances to nearby galaxies in Sculptor". Astronomy and Astrophysics 404 (1): 93–111. arXiv:astro-ph/0302045. Bibcode 2003A&A...404...93K. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20030170.
- ^ Jones, K. G. (1981). Webb Society Deep-Sky Observer's Handbook. Enslow Publishers. ISBN 0894901346. OLOL8249797M.
- ^ Robert Burnham, Jr. (1978). Burnham's Celestial Handbook. III. New York: Dover. p. 1733. ISBN 0-486-24065-7.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: NGC 55 |
- NGC 55 in Sculptor
- SEDS: Spiral Galaxy NGC 55
- NGC 55 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
| Astronomical catalogs | ||
|---|---|---|
| NGC: | NGC 53 - NGC 54 - NGC 55 - NGC 56 - NGC 57 | |
| PGC: | PGC 1012 - PGC 1013 - PGC 1014 - PGC 1015 - PGC 1016 | |
Coordinates: 
00h 14m 53.6s, −39° 11′ 48″
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