NGC 2617

NGC 2617
legacy surveys image of NGC 2617 (right) and MCG-01-22-027
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationHydra
Right ascension08h 35m 38.798s[1]
Declination−04° 05′ 17.90″[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity4,287 km/s[2]
Distance201.8 Mly (61.86 Mpc)h−1
0.73[2]
Apparent magnitude (V)12.66±0.20[3]
Apparent magnitude (B)14.10±0.30[3]
Characteristics
TypeSc[4][3]
Apparent size (V)0.693′ × 0.652′[5] (infrared)
Other designations
IRAS F08331-0354, 2MASX J08353877-0405172, NGC 2617, MCG −01–22–026[6]
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NGC 2617 is a Seyfert galaxy in the equatorial constellation of Hydra. It was discovered on February 12, 1885, by French astronomer Édouard Stephan.[7][8] In 1888, Danish astronomer J. L. E. Dreyer described it as "extremely faint, very small, 2 very faint stars involved".[9] It is located at an estimated distance of 202 million light years.[2] In the infrared, the galaxy has an angular size of 0.693 by 0.652 arcminutes.[5]

This is an almost face-on spiral galaxy with a morphological classification of Sc,[4] indicating a spiral galaxy (S) with loosely wound spiral arms (c). In 1992, NGC 2617 was shown to be an extragalactic source of X-ray emission,[10] and in 1996 it was identified as a Seyfert 1.8 galaxy by E. C. Moran and associates.[11] A radio counterpart was found in 1998.[12]

During April 2013, a dramatic outburst was discovered at the core of NGC 2617,[13] and the spectral type was found to have changed to a Seyfert 1. An increase in X-ray emission was observed, followed by an increase in ultraviolet and then infrared luminosity.[4] This event can be modeled by X-ray radiation heating the accretion disk orbiting a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of the galaxy. This was followed by emission at longer wavelengths from the heated disk.[4] An increase in luminosity between 2010 and 2012 may have cleared away dust in the inner part of the disk prior to the outburst, allowing a clearer view and changing the Seyfert type of the galaxy.[14] The SMBH has an estimated mass of 30.9+11.8
−8.5 million M☉.[3]

Additional outbursts were observed from 2016 to 2018, in between deep minima.[15]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference GaiaEDR3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Crook_et_al_2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Robinson_et_al_2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Shapee_et_al_2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Skrutskie_et_al_2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Erdmann_2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Seligman_2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sulentic_et_al_1973 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Boller_et_al_1992 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Moran_et_al_1996 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Condon_et_al_1998 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Shappee_et_al_2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Oknyansky_et_al_2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Oknyansky_et_al_2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).