File:N488s.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Constellation
- Pisces
- Right ascension
- 01 21 46.7904
- Declination
- +05 ° 15 ′ 24.696 ″
- Heliocentric radial velocity
- 2272 ± 1 km/s
- Distance
- 98.3 ± 3.9 Mly (30.15 ± 1.2 Mpc )
- Type
- SA(r)b
- Size
- ~185,800 ly (56.97 kpc ) (estimated)
- Apparent size v
- 5.4′ × 3.9′
- Notable features
- Prototype galaxy with multiple spiral arms
via Wikipedia infobox
~1 min read
Encyclopedic overview
NGC 488 is a face-on spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces. It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 13 December 1784. It is at a distance of about 90 million light-years away from Earth. Its diameter is estimated to be ~185,800 Light Years (~52.7 Kpc). The galaxy has a large central bulge, and is considered a prototype galaxy with multiple spiral arms. Its arms are tightly wound. Star forming activity has been traced within the arms. The nucleus of NGC 488 has been found to be chemically decoupled, being twice as metal rich as the central bulge of the galaxy. NGC 488, with the exception of its smaller companions, form the NGC 488 group; a relatively isolated galaxy group.
Supernovae
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Q1036937” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.