NGC 3985 explained

NGC 3985
Type:SB(s)m
Constellation Name:Ursa Major
Sbrightness:21.62 mag/arcsec2
Ra:11h 56m 42s
Dec:+48° 20’ 02”
Dist Ly:46.1 ± 13.5 Mly (14.1 ± 4.1 Mpc)
Z:0.003163
Appmag V:12.6
Size V:1.3 × 0.8
Names:PGC 37542, UGC 6921, MCG +08-22-045, CGCG 243-031, IRAS 11541+4836, ARK 334, KCPG 310
Size:17,700 ly

NGC 3985 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. It is located at a distance of about 45 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3726 is about 18,000 light years across.[1] NGC 3985 is situated north of the celestial equator and, as such, it is more easily visible from the Northern Hemisphere.[2] The galaxy appears to have one spiral arm.[3]

NGC 3985 belongs in the NGC 3877 group,[4] which is part of the south Ursa Major groups, part of the Virgo Supercluster.[5] Other galaxies in the same group are NGC 3726, NGC 3893, NGC 3896, NGC 3906, NGC 3928, NGC 3949, and NGC 4010.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Results for NGC 3985. 2024-04-02.
  2. Web site: A Complete Guide to the Solar System and the Night Sky TheSkyLive . 2024-03-25 . theskylive.com . en.
  3. Sandage, A., Bedke, J. (1994) The Carnegie Atlas of Galaxies. Volume I, Carnegie Institution of Washington
  4. Makarov. Dmitry. Karachentsev. Igor. Galaxy groups and clouds in the local (z~ 0.01) Universe. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 21 April 2011. 412. 4. 2498–2520. 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.18071.x. free . 2011MNRAS.412.2498M. 1011.6277. 119194025.
  5. Web site: The Ursa Major Groups. www.atlasoftheuniverse.com.