NGC 4216 explained

NGC 4216
Epoch:J2000
Type:SAB(s)b[1]
Dist Ly:55 Mly
Z:131 ± 4 km/s
Appmag V:11.0
Size V:8.1 × 1.8
Constellation Name:Virgo
Names:UGC 7284, PGC 39246, VCC 167

NGC 4216 is a metal-rich[2] intermediate spiral galaxy located not far from the center of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, roughly 55 million light-years away. It is seen nearly edge-on.

Physical characteristics

NGC 4216 is one of the largest and brightest spiral galaxies of the Virgo Cluster, with an absolute magnitude that has been estimated to be −22 (i.e.: brighter than the Andromeda Galaxy),[3] and like most spiral galaxies of this cluster shows a deficiency of neutral hydrogen that is concentrated within the galaxy's optical disk and has a low surface density for a galaxy of its type.[4] This explains why NGC 4216 is considered an anemic galaxy by some authors, also with a low star formation activity for a galaxy of its type.[5] In fact, the galaxy's disk shows pillar-like structures that may have been caused by interactions with the intracluster medium of Virgo and/or with nearby galaxies.[6]

In NGC 4216's halo, besides a rich system of globular clusters estimated to number around 700 (nearly five times more than the Milky Way),[3] two stellar streams that are interpreted as two satellite galaxies being disrupted and absorbed by this galaxy are present.[6]

NGC 4216 seems to be in a place of the Virgo cluster where dwarf galaxies are being destroyed/accreted at a high rate, with it suffering many interactions with these type of galaxies.[7]

One supernova has been observed in NGC 4216: SN 2024gy (type Ia, mag. 16.3).[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database . Results for NGC 4216 . 2006-11-25 .
  2. Book: O'Meara. Stephen James. Deep-Sky Companions: Hidden Treasures. 2007. Cambridge University Press. 9780521837040. 299–302.
  3. Web site: Globular Cluster Systems in Galaxies Beyond the Local Grup. . NASA-IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) . 2012-07-21.
  4. Chung . A. . Van Gorkom . J.H. . Kenney . J.F.P. . Crowl . Hugh . Vollmer . B. . 2009 . VLA Imaging of Virgo Spirals in Atomic Gas (VIVA). I. The Atlas and the H I Properties . The Astronomical Journal . 138 . 6 . 1741–1816 . 2009AJ....138.1741C . 10.1088/0004-6256/138/6/1741. free .
  5. Vollmer . B. . Soida . M. . Beck . R. . Chung . A. . Urbanik . M. . Chyży . K. T. . Otmianowska-Mazur . K. . Kenney . J. D. P. . 2013 . Large-scale radio continuum properties of 19 Virgo cluster galaxies. The influence of tidal interactions, ram pressure stripping, and accreting gas envelopes . Astronomy & Astrophysics . 553 . A116 . 1741–1816 . 2013A&A...553A.116V . 10.1051/0004-6361/201321163. 1304.1279 . 119190841 .
  6. Web site: Stellar Tidal Streams in Spiral Galaxies of the Local Volume . 2012-07-21.
  7. Paudel, Sanjaya . 4 . Duc, Pierre-Alain . Côté, Patrick . Cuillandre, Jean-Charles . Ferrarese, Laura . Ferriere, Etienne . Gwyn, Stephen D. J. . Mihos, J. Christopher . Vollmer, Bernd . Balogh, Michael L. . Carlberg, Ray G. . Boissier, Samuel . Boselli, Alessandro . Durrell, Patrick R. . Emsellem, Eric . MacArthur, Lauren A. . Mei, Simona . Michel-Dansac, Leo . van Driel, Wim . The Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey. IV. NGC 4216: A Bombarded Spiral in the Virgo Cluster . Astrophysical Journal . 2013 . 767 . 2 . 133 . 2013ApJ...767..133P . 10.1088/0004-637X/767/2/133. 1302.6611 . 133. 118421922 .
  8. https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2024gy Transient Name Server entry for SN 2024gy.

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