NGC 2959

NGC 2959
The intermediate spiral galaxy NGC 2959.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationUrsa Major
Right ascension09h 45m 08.969s[1]
Declination68° 35′ 40.48″[1]
Redshift0.01482[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity4442 km/s[1]
Distance218 Mly (66.7 Mpc)[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)12.8[1]
Characteristics
Type(R')SAB(rs)ab pec, Sa[1]
Size~112,000 ly (34.3 kpc) (estimated)[1]
Apparent size (V)1.4' x 1.4'[1]
Other designations
IRAS 09409+6849, UGC 5202, MCG +12-09-062, PGC 27939, CGCG 332-061[1]

NGC 2959 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. Its velocity relative to the cosmic microwave background is 4,525 ± 6 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 66.7 ± 4.7 Mpc (~218 million light years.).[1] NGC 2959 was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel on 28 October 1831.

NGC 2959 has a luminosity class of I-II and a broad H I line.[1]

According to the Simbad database, NGC 2959 is a LINER galaxy, i.e. a galaxy whose nucleus has an emission spectrum characterized by broad lines of weakly ionized atoms.[2]

Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 2959: SN 2021bbm (type II, mag. 17.4),[3] and SN 2023vog (type II, mag. 18.5).[4]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 2959. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  2. ^ SIMBAD: NGC 2959 LINER-type Active Galaxy Nucleus Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  3. ^ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2021bbm. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  4. ^ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2023vog. Retrieved 5 November 2023.