NGC 5078 explained

NGC 5078
Epoch:J2000
Type:SA(s)a[1]
Dist Ly:94 Mly[2]
Z:2168 ± 6 km/s
Appmag V:+11.8
Size V:4′.0 × 1′.9
Constellation Name:Hydra
Names:PGC 46490

NGC 5078 is a spiral galaxy in the Hydra constellation, approximately 94 million light-years away from Earth. It has a diameter of 127,000 light-years and is probably a member of the NGC 5061 group.[3] The dust lane of NGC 5078 is warped, probably by interaction with the nearby galaxy IC 879, which is itself distorted into an 'S' shape by the interaction.[4] At the presumed distance the two galaxies would have a minimal separation of about 61,000 light-years. For comparison, the Large Magellanic Cloud is about 160,000 light-years from the Milky Way.

NGC 5078 is also only separated in the sky from the spiral galaxy NGC 5101 by about 0.5 degrees, and both are believed to be at the same distance from the Earth. This would mean they are approximately 800,000 light-years apart.[5]

One supernova has been observed in NGC 5078: SN 1999cz (type Ic, mag. 16).[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database . Results for NGC 5078 . 2006-11-18 .
  2. Web site: Best of AOP - Galaxies: NGC 5078. Advanced Observing Program. NOAO. 3 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150524071235/http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/n5078.html. 24 May 2015. dead.
  3. Book: Bratton. Mark. The Complete Guide to the Herschel Objects: Sir William Herschel's Star Clusters, Nebulae and Galaxies. limited. 2011. Cambridge University Press. 978-0521768924. 278.
  4. Web site: NGC 5078 and its distorted companion IC 879. Australian Astronomical Observatory. 3 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150401095356/http://ftp.aao.gov.au/images/captions/aat099.html. 1 April 2015. dead.
  5. Web site: Nemiroff . Robert . Bonnell . Jerry . NGC 5101 and Friends . APOD . 21 April 2019.
  6. https://www.wis-tns.org/object/1999cz Transient Name Server entry for SN 1999cz.