NGC 3115 (also called the Spindle Galaxy or Caldwell 53) is a fieldlenticular (S0) galaxy in the constellationSextans. The galaxy was discovered by William Herschel on February 22, 1787.[4][5] At about 32 million light-years away from Earth, it is several times bigger than the Milky Way. It is a lenticular (S0) galaxy because it contains a disk and a central bulge of stars, but without a detectable spiral pattern. NGC 3115 is seen almost exactly edge-on, but was nevertheless mis-classified as elliptical. There is some speculation that NGC 3115, in its youth, was a quasar.
NGC 3115 has consumed most of the gas of its youthful accretion disk. It has very little gas and dust left that would trigger new star formation. The vast majority of its component stars are very old.
Black hole
In 1992 John Kormendy of the University of Hawaii and Douglas Richstone of the University of Michigan announced what was observed to be a supermassive black hole in the galaxy.[8] Based on orbital velocities of the stars in its core, the central black hole has mass measured to be approximately one billion solar masses (M☉). The galaxy appears to have mostly old stars and little or no activity. The growth of its black hole has also stopped.
In 2011, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory examined the black hole at the center of the large galaxy. A flow of hot gas toward the supermassive black hole has been imaged, making this the first time clear evidence for such a flow has been observed in any black hole. As gas flows toward the black hole, it becomes hotter and brighter. The researchers found the rise in gas temperature begins at about 700 light years from the black hole, giving the location of the Bondi radius. This suggests that the black hole in the center of NGC 3115 has a mass of about two billion M☉, supporting previous results from optical observations. This would make NGC 3115 the nearest billion-solar-mass black hole to Earth.
See also
NGC 5866 – another lenticular galaxy sometimes referred to as the Spindle Galaxy
References
^ abcdef"NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 3115. Retrieved October 12, 2006.
^J. L. Tonry; A. Dressler; J. P. Blakeslee; E. A. Ajhar; et al. (2001). "The SBF Survey of Galaxy Distances. IV. SBF Magnitudes, Colors, and Distances". Astrophysical Journal. 546 (2): 681–693. arXiv:astro-ph/0011223. Bibcode:2001ApJ...546..681T. doi:10.1086/318301. S2CID 17628238.
^Tomita, Akihiko; Aoki, Kentaro; Watanabe, Masaru; Takata, Tadafumi; Ichikawa, Shin-Ichi (2000). "The Central Gas Systems of Early-Type Galaxies Traced by Dust Features, Based on the Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Archival Images". The Astronomical Journal. 120 (1): 123–130. arXiv:astro-ph/0003431. Bibcode:2000AJ....120..123T. doi:10.1086/301440. S2CID 9684945.
^Materne, J. (April 1979). "The structure of nearby groups of galaxies - Quantitative membership probabilities". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 74 (2): 235–243. Bibcode:1979A&A....74..235M.
^Transient Name Server entry for SN 1935B. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
^Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams list of Supernovae. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
^Kormendy, J. and Richstone, D. "Evidence for a supermassive black hole in NGC 3115", Astrophysical Journal, Part 1, vol. 393, no. 2, July 10, 1992, p. 559-578.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to NGC 3115.
SEDS: NGC 3115
NGC 3115 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
May 21, 2023
3115, also, called, spindle, galaxy, caldwell, field, lenticular, galaxy, constellation, sextans, galaxy, discovered, william, herschel, february, 1787, about, million, light, years, away, from, earth, several, times, bigger, than, milky, lenticular, galaxy, b. NGC 3115 also called the Spindle Galaxy or Caldwell 53 is a field lenticular S0 galaxy in the constellation Sextans The galaxy was discovered by William Herschel on February 22 1787 4 5 At about 32 million light years away from Earth it is several times bigger than the Milky Way It is a lenticular S0 galaxy because it contains a disk and a central bulge of stars but without a detectable spiral pattern NGC 3115 is seen almost exactly edge on but was nevertheless mis classified as elliptical There is some speculation that NGC 3115 in its youth was a quasar NGC 3115Composite image of NGC 3115 from the Chandra X ray Observatory and the Very Large TelescopeObservation data J2000 epoch ConstellationSextansRight ascension10h 05m 14 0s 1 Declination 7 43 07 1 Redshift663 4 km s 1 Distance31 6 1 3 Mly 9 7 0 4 Mpc 2 Apparent magnitude V 9 9 1 CharacteristicsTypeS0 3 Apparent size V 7 2 2 5 1 Other designationsSpindle Galaxy UGCA 199 PGC 29265 1 Caldwell 53One supernova has been observed in NGC 3115 SN 1935B type and mag unknown 6 7 Contents 1 Star formation 2 Black hole 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksStar formation EditNGC 3115 has consumed most of the gas of its youthful accretion disk It has very little gas and dust left that would trigger new star formation The vast majority of its component stars are very old Black hole EditIn 1992 John Kormendy of the University of Hawaii and Douglas Richstone of the University of Michigan announced what was observed to be a supermassive black hole in the galaxy 8 Based on orbital velocities of the stars in its core the central black hole has mass measured to be approximately one billion solar masses M The galaxy appears to have mostly old stars and little or no activity The growth of its black hole has also stopped In 2011 NASA s Chandra X ray Observatory examined the black hole at the center of the large galaxy A flow of hot gas toward the supermassive black hole has been imaged making this the first time clear evidence for such a flow has been observed in any black hole As gas flows toward the black hole it becomes hotter and brighter The researchers found the rise in gas temperature begins at about 700 light years from the black hole giving the location of the Bondi radius This suggests that the black hole in the center of NGC 3115 has a mass of about two billion M supporting previous results from optical observations This would make NGC 3115 the nearest billion solar mass black hole to Earth See also EditNGC 5866 another lenticular galaxy sometimes referred to as the Spindle GalaxyReferences Edit a b c d e f NASA IPAC Extragalactic Database Results for NGC 3115 Retrieved October 12 2006 J L Tonry A Dressler J P Blakeslee E A Ajhar et al 2001 The SBF Survey of Galaxy Distances IV SBF Magnitudes Colors and Distances Astrophysical Journal 546 2 681 693 arXiv astro ph 0011223 Bibcode 2001ApJ 546 681T doi 10 1086 318301 S2CID 17628238 Tomita Akihiko Aoki Kentaro Watanabe Masaru Takata Tadafumi Ichikawa Shin Ichi 2000 The Central Gas Systems of Early Type Galaxies Traced by Dust Features Based on the Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Archival Images The Astronomical Journal 120 1 123 130 arXiv astro ph 0003431 Bibcode 2000AJ 120 123T doi 10 1086 301440 S2CID 9684945 O Meara Stephen James 2002 The Caldwell Objects Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 211 ISBN 978 0 521 82796 6 Materne J April 1979 The structure of nearby groups of galaxies Quantitative membership probabilities Astronomy and Astrophysics 74 2 235 243 Bibcode 1979A amp A 74 235M Transient Name Server entry for SN 1935B Retrieved 28 March 2023 Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams list of Supernovae Retrieved 28 March 2023 Kormendy J and Richstone D Evidence for a supermassive black hole in NGC 3115 Astrophysical Journal Part 1 vol 393 no 2 July 10 1992 p 559 578 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to NGC 3115 Chandra Press Release SEDS NGC 3115 NGC 3115 on WikiSky DSS2 SDSS GALEX IRAS Hydrogen a X Ray Astrophoto Sky Map Articles and images Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title NGC 3115 amp oldid 1154746942, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
