NGC 3309 explained

NGC 3309
Epoch:J2000
Type:E3[1]
Dist Ly:60.3Mpc
H Radial V:4075 km/s
Z:0.013593
Appmag V:12.60
Size V:1.9 x 1.6
Notes:Radio Jet
Constellation Name:Hydra
Names:ESO 501-36, AM 1034-271, MCG -4-25-34, PGC 31466
Size:~44.88kpc (estimated)

NGC 3309 is a giant elliptical galaxy[2] located about 200 million light-years away[3] in the constellation Hydra.[4] NGC 3309 was discovered by astronomer John Herschel on March 24, 1835.[5] [6] The galaxy forms a pair with NGC 3311 which lies about 22kpc away.[7] Both galaxies dominate the center[8] of the Hydra Cluster.[9]

Radio Jet

NGC 3309 has a radio jet emerging out of its center. The jet is two-sided and the northeastern part of the jet appears to end in a spur. The southwestern part of the jet lies along a straight line. At a projected distance of about ~1kpc from the nucleus, the jet appears to narrow into a nozzle-like structure before it expands into a lobe extending away from the galaxy.

The predominant part of the radio emission in the Hydra Cluster comes from NGC 3309.[10] The radio emission in NGC 3309 may have been triggered by a recent perturbation with the giant spiral galaxy NGC 3312.

Globular clusters

NGC 3309 has an estimated population of about globular clusters. Due to the influence of the nearby galaxy NGC 3311, NGC 3309 may have been stripped of part of its original globular cluster system with some of the galaxy's globular clusters becoming members of NGC 3311's population.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database . Results for NGC 3309 . 2018-05-06.
  2. Wehner. Elizabeth M. H.. Harris. William E.. Whitmore. Bradley C.. Rothberg. Barry. Woodley. Kristin A.. 2008. The Globular Cluster Systems around NGC 3311 and NGC 3309. The Astrophysical Journal. en. 681. 2. 1233. 10.1086/587433. 0004-637X. 0802.1723. 2008ApJ...681.1233W. 119241756.
  3. Web site: Your NED Search Results. ned.ipac.caltech.edu. 2018-05-06.
  4. Web site: Revised NGC Data for NGC 3309. spider.seds.org. 2018-05-06.
  5. Web site: Astronomy-Mall: Adventures In Deep Space NGC objects 3001-3999. Gottlieb. Steve. Astronomy-Mall. 2018-04-27.
  6. Web site: New General Catalog Objects: NGC 3300 - 3349. cseligman.com. en-US. 2018-05-04.
  7. Yamasaki. N. Y.. Ohashi . T.. Furusho. T.. 2002. Chandra Observation of the Central Galaxies in the A1060 Cluster of Galaxies. The Astrophysical Journal. en. 578. 2. 833–841. 10.1086/342652. 0004-637X. astro-ph/0206472. 2002ApJ...578..833Y. 15537091.
  8. Kotanyi. C.. November 1990. NGC 3309: an S-shaped radio galaxy in a nearby cluster. Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica. 21. 173–176. 1990RMxAA..21..173K.
  9. Richter. O.-G.. February 1989. The Hydra I cluster of galaxies. V - A catalogue of galaxies in the cluster area. Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series. 77. 237–256. 1989A&AS...77..237R.
  10. Lindblad. P. O.. Jorsater, S.. S.. Sandqvist. Aa.. March 1985. The nuclear radio sources in the elliptical galaxies NGC 3309 and NGC 3311 in the cluster Abell 1060. Astronomy and Astrophysics. 144. 496–501. 1985A&A...144..496L.
  11. Richtler. T.. Salinas. R.. Misgeld . I.. Hilker. M.. Hau. G. K. T.. Romanowsky. A. J.. Schuberth. Y.. Spolaor. M.. 2011-06-24. The dark halo of the Hydra I galaxy cluster: core, cusp, cosmological?. Astronomy & Astrophysics. en. 531. A119. 10.1051/0004-6361/201015948. 0004-6361. 1103.2053. 2011A&A...531A.119R. 119210109.