NGC 4762 is an edge-on lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It is at a distance of 60 million light years and is a member of the Virgo Cluster. The edge-on view of this particular galaxy, originally considered to be a barred spiral galaxy, makes it difficult to determine its true shape, but it is considered that the galaxy consists of four main components — a central bulge, a bar, a thick disc and an outer ring. The galaxy's disc is asymmetric and warped, which could be explained by NGC 4762 merging with a smaller galaxy in the past. The remains of this former companion may then have settled within NGC 4762's disc, redistributing the gas and stars and so changing the disc's morphology.[2]
NGC 4762 contains a Liner-type active galactic nucleus, a highly energetic central region. This nucleus is detectable due to its particular spectral line emission, allowing astronomers to measure the composition of the region.[2]
NGC 4762 forms a non-interacting[3] pair with the galaxy NGC 4754.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4762. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
- ^ a b "A galaxy on the edge". www.spacetelescope.org. ESA/Hubble & NASA. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
- ^ "Object of the Week May 18, 2014 The Flattest Galaxy NGC 4762". www.deepskyforum.com. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
- ^ "Detailed Object Classifications". ned.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
External links
- NGC 4762 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
- NED entry on NGC 4762
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