NGC 5962

NGC 5962
NGC 5962, 32 inch Schulman Foundation telescope on Mt. Lemmon, AZ
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationSerpens Caput
Right ascension15h 36m 31.681s[1]
Declination+16° 36′ 27.93″[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity1,957 km/s[2]
Distance119.5 Mly (36.64 Mpc)[2]
Group or clusterNGC 5962/5970 group[3]
Apparent magnitude (V)11.34[4]
Apparent magnitude (B)11.98[4]
Characteristics
TypeSAB(rs,nrl)c[5]
Apparent size (V)1.490′ × 1.073′[6] (NIR)
Other designations
NGC 5962, UGC 9926, LEDA 55588, MCG +03-40-011, PGC 55588[7][8]
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NGC 5962 is a spiral galaxy in the equatorial constellation of Serpens Caput. It was discovered by the Anglo-German astronomer William Herschel on March 21, 1784.[9] The NGC 5962 galaxy is located at a distance of 120 million light years and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 1,957 km/s.[2] It is the brightest member of the eponymously-named NGC 5962 group, which overlaps with the nearby NGC 5970 group; the two groups may be gravitationally bound.[3]

Ultraviolet image of the pseudo-ring structure in the center of the galaxy

The morphological (shape) class of NGC 5962 in the infrared is SAB(rs,nrl)c. This notation indicates the galaxy has a bar structure around the nucleus (SAB), an inner pseudo-ring likely associated with the outer Lindblad resonance (rs), a ring-lens structure at the nucleus (nrl), and loosely-wound spiral arms (c).[5] In the optical band, this galaxy is classed as Hubble type SA(r)c,[10] displaying an inner ring with no visible bar. The galactic plane is inclined at an angle of 45°±2° to the line of sight from the Earth, giving it an oval profile with the major axis aligned along a position angle of 109°±4°.[11]

Along with a populated nucleus, it has a relatively large core, but a small central bulge, in which the spiral arms begin to unfurl. There is some evidence for a low level of nuclear activity, and it has been classed as a nuclear H II region galaxy.[10] Based on its emission of far ultraviolet radiation, the pseudo-ring structure is actively undergoing star formation.[12] The galaxy is forming stars at the rate of 6 M☉·yr−1.[13] There are two confirmed satellite galaxies; a third candidate proved to be too distant based on its redshift value.[14]

Two supernovae have been detected in this galaxy: SN 2016afa (type II, mag. 17.1)[15] was discovered February 12, 2016, and SN 2017ivu (type IIP, mag. 15.4)[16] was spotted December 11, 2017.[17]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference GaiaDR2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Tully_et_al_2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Zwaan2001 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Gil_de_Paz_et_al_2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Herrera-Endoqui_et_al_2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Skrutskie_et_al_2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference ned was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Seligman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Misselt_et_al_1999 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference García-Gómez_et_al_2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Comerón2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Misiriotis_et_al_2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mao_et_al_2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2016afa. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  16. ^ Transient Name Server entry for SN 2017ivu. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference Im_et_al_2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).