| NGC 3370 | |
| Upright: | 1.2 |
| Dist Ly: | (Light-travel) |
| Type: | SA(s)c[1] III |
| Size: | (diameter; 2MASS K-band total and D25.0 B-band isophotes) |
| Appmag V: | 12.3 |
| Notes: | Dusty |
NGC 3370 (also known as UGC 5887 or Silverado Galaxy[2]) is a spiral galaxy about 25.2+/- away in the constellation Leo. It is nearly comparable to our Milky Way both in diameter with a D25 isophotal size about 23.69abbr=onNaNabbr=on comparing to the Milky Way Galaxy's 26.8kpc diameter, and as well as in mass . NGC 3370 exhibits an intricate spiral arm structure surrounding a poorly defined nucleus. It is a member of the NGC 3370 Group of galaxies, which is a member of the Leo II Groups, a series of galaxies and galaxy clusters strung out from the right edge of the Virgo Supercluster.[3]
NGC 3370 was likely discovered by William Herschel, who provided it with the designation II 81.[4] His son John later designated it 750. William Herschel cataloged I 80 to NGC 3348 before and II 82 to NGC 3455 after NGC 3370.
The object has a surface brightness of 13 and a position angle (PA) of 140°.
On November 14, 1994, S. Van Dyk and the Leuschner Observatory Supernova Search discovered a supernova in NGC 3370 at 10h 44m 21.52s +17° 32 20.7, designated SN 1994ae.[5] SN 1994ae was a type Ia supernova, and one of the nearest and best observed since the advent of modern digital detectors.[6] The maximal light of the supernova was estimated to have occurred between November 30 and December 1, peaking at visual magnitude 13.