NGC 5866

NGC 5866
NGC 5866, as observed by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Credit: HST/NASA/ESA.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Draco
Right ascension	15h 06m 29.5s[1]
Declination	+55° 45′ 48″[1]
Redshift	672 ± 9 km/s[1]
Distance	50 ± 3 Mly (15.3 ± 0.7 Mpc)[2]
Type	S0[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)	4′.7 x 1′.9[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	10.7[1]
Other designations
Spindle Galaxy,[3] UGC 9723,[1] PGC 53933[1]
See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies

NGC 5866 (also called the Spindle Galaxy or Messier 102) is a relatively bright lenticular or spiral galaxy in the constellation Draco. NGC 5866 was probably discovered by Pierre Méchain or Charles Messier in 1781, and independently found by William Herschel in 1788.

Dust disk

One of the most outstanding features of NGC 5866 is the extended dust disk, which is seen exactly edge-on. This dust disk is highly unusual for a lenticular galaxy. The dust in most lenticular galaxies is generally found only near the nucleus and generally follows the light profile of the galaxies' bulges.^[4][5] This dust disk may contain a ring-like structure, although the shape of this structure is difficult to determine given the edge-on orientation of the galaxy.^[5] It is also possible that the galaxy is a spiral galaxy that was misclassified as a lenticular galaxy because of its edge-on orientation, in which case the dust disk would not be too unusual.^[4]

Galaxy group information

NGC 5866 is one of the brightest galaxies in the NGC 5866 Group, a small galaxy group that also includes the spiral galaxies NGC 5879 and NGC 5907.^[6][7][8] This group may actually be a subclump at the northwest end of a large, elongated structure that comprises the M51 Group and the M101 Group, although most sources distinguish the three groups as separate entities.^[9]

See also

• NGC 3115 - another lenticular galaxy referred to as the Spindle Galaxy
• NGC 4710 - another lenticular galaxy viewed edge-on

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 5866. http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/. Retrieved 2006-10-30. 
2. ^ J. L. Tonry, A. Dressler, J. P. Blakeslee, E. A. Ajhar, A. B. Fletcher, G. A. Luppino, M. R. Metzger, C. B. Moore (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. 
3. ^ "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for NGC 5866. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/Simbad/. Retrieved 2006-10-30. 
4. ^ ^{a b} G. J. Bendo, R. D. Joseph, M. Wells, P. Gallais, M. Haas, A. M. Heras, U. Klaas, R. J. Laureijs, K. Leech, D. Lemke, L. Metcalfe, M. Rowan-Robinson, B. Schulz, C. Telesco (2002). "An Infrared Space Observatory Atlas of Bright Spiral Galaxies". Astronomical Journal 123 (6): 3067–3107. Bibcode 2002AJ....123.3067B. doi:10.1086/340083. 
5. ^ ^{a b} E. M. Xilouris, S. C. Madden, F. Galliano, L. Vigroux, M. Sauvage (2004). "Dust emission in early-type galaxies: The mid-infrared view". Astronomy & Astrophysics 416 (1): 41–55. arXiv:astro-ph/0312029. Bibcode 2004A&A...416...41X. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034020. 
6. ^ R. B. Tully (1988). Nearby Galaxies Catalog. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-35299-1. 
7. ^ Af. Garcia (1993). "General study of group membership. II - Determination of nearby groups". Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement 100: 47–90. Bibcode 1993A&AS..100...47G. 
8. ^ G. Giuricin, C. Marinoni, L. Ceriani, A. Pisani (2000). "Nearby Optical Galaxies: Selection of the Sample and Identification of Groups". Astrophysical Journal 543 (1): 178–194. arXiv:astro-ph/0001140. Bibcode 2000ApJ...543..178G. doi:10.1086/317070. 
9. ^ L. Ferrarese, H. C. Ford, J. Huchra, R. C. Kennicutt Jr., J. R. Mould, S. Sakai, W. L. Freedman, P. B. Stetson, B. F. Madore, B. K. Gibson, J. A. Graham, S. M. Hughes, G. D. Illingworth, D. D. Kelson, L. Macri, K. Sebo, N. A. Silbermann (2000). "A Database of Cepheid Distance Moduli and Tip of the Red Giant Branch, Globular Cluster Luminosity Function, Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function, and Surface Brightness Fluctuation Data Useful for Distance Determinations". Astrophysical Journal Supplement 128 (2): 431–459. arXiv:astro-ph/9910501. Bibcode 2000ApJS..128..431F. doi:10.1086/313391. 

External links

• NGC 5866 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
• SEDS Messier pages: NGC 5866
• NGC 5866 at ESA/Hubble
• NGC5866

Coordinates: 15^h 06^m 29.5^s, +55° 45′ 48″