Z: | 0.009704 |
Type: | SA(s)b, Sb(s)I-II |
Appmag V: | 10.82 |
Appmag B: | 11.82 |
NGC 3223 is a faint spiral galaxy in the constellation Antlia. It was discovered on February 2, 1835 by the English astronomer John Herschel. The galaxy lies at a distance of approximately 110 million light years away and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 2,896 km/s.
The morphological class of NGC 3223 is SA(s)b, indicating it is a spiral with no central bar (SA), no inner ring feature, and moderately tightly wound spiral arms. The galactic plane is inclined at an angle of 46° to the line of sight from the Earth, with the major axis along a position angle of 128°. It has at least two well-defined arms and is flocculent in appearance.
NGC 3223 is the brightest and largest member of a galaxy group named after it. There are 16 members including NGC 3224, NGC 3258, NGC 3268, NGC 3289, IC 2552, IC 2559 and IC 2560.[1] Together, the NGC 3223 Group forms a part of the Antlia Cluster.[2]