Messier 109: Difference between revisions
mNo edit summary |
fixed RA & DEC |
||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
| epoch = [[J2000.0]] |
| epoch = [[J2000.0]] |
||
| type = SB(rs)bc: I |
| type = SB(rs)bc: I |
||
| ra = {{RA|11|57.6}} |
| ra = {{RA|11|57.6|36.0}} |
||
| dec = {{DEC|+53|23}} |
| dec = {{DEC|+53|23|28}} |
||
| z = +0.003496 |
| z = +0.003496 |
||
| dist_ly = [[1 E23 m|41 million]] [[light year|ly]] |
| dist_ly = [[1 E23 m|41 million]] [[light year|ly]] |
||
Revision as of 00:16, 22 July 2006
Messier 109 (also known as NGC 3992 or M109 for short; the Vacuum Cleaner Galaxy was suggested) is a barred spiral galaxy approximetaly 41 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. M109 is the dominant galaxy in the Ursa Major North group of galaxies along with Messier 108. M109 can be seen southeast of the star Phekda (γ UMa).
History and naming
Messier 109 was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. In 1783 Charles Messier catalogued NGC 3992 as his 109th object.
Between the 1920's through the 1950's, it was considered that Messier objects over 103 are not official, but in later years the additions became pretty widely accepted. David Levy mentions the modern 110 object catalog while Sir Patrick Moore gave the original to 104 but has M105-M109 listed as an addendum. By the late 1970s all 110 objects are commonly used among astronomers as they still are today.
In 2006, Devon J. Moore suggested the name the Vacuum Cleaner Galaxy to a website that has the "Common Names for Messier Objects" along with a list of proposition for future names. This proposition was put on the website and possibly suggested to the IAU but this is not to be confused with a common name like the Whirlpool Galaxy, it just a suggested name that might become a common name in the future. The name came from the obvious fact that M109 is a cyclonic galaxy (cyclonic vacuum cleaner).[1]
General information
In March of 1956, supernova 1956A was observed in M109. SN 1956A was a type Ia supernova in the southeast part of the galaxy, glowing at magnitude +12.8 to +12.3 at its maximum. SN 1956A was the only supernova observed in M109 since its discovery.
M109 is a good example of a barred spiral galaxy. As of 2005 the Milky Way Galaxy is thought to be a barred spiral galaxy.
M109 has three satellite galaxies (UGC 6923, UGC 6940 and UGC 6969) and possibly might have more and detailed Hydrogen line observations have been obtained from M109 and its satellites. M109's H I distribution is regular with a low level radial extension outside the stellar disc, while at exactly the region of the bar, there is a central H I hole in the gas distribution. Possibly the gas has been transported inwards by the bar because of the emptyness of the hole no large accretion events can have happened in the recent past.[2]
See also
References
- ^ Frommert, Hartmut (2006). "Common Names for Messier Objects". SEDS. Retrieved 15 July.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Bottema, Roelof (2002). "Dark and luminous matter in the NGC 3992 group of galaxies". Astrophysics. Retrieved 19 April.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)
External links
- "Messier 109". SEDS. Retrieved 11 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Dark and luminous matter in the NGC 3992 group of galaxies". Astrophysics. Retrieved 19 April.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - "Dark and luminous matter in the NGC 3992 group of galaxies". ESO. Retrieved 8 April.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)