NGC 1374

NGC 1374 is a low-luminosity elliptical galaxy in southern constellation Fornax. It was discovered by John Herschel on November 29, 1837.

NGC 1374
Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 1374 (up) and NGC 1375 (down)
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationFornax
Right ascension03h 35.16m [1]
Declination−35° 13′[1]
Distance18.1 Mpc (59 Mly)
Apparent magnitude (V)11.0[1]
Characteristics
TypeE1[1]
Apparent size (V)2.7′ × 2.4′[1] (50 000 light-years in diameter)
Notable featureslow-luminosity elliptical galaxy

Location

It is at the distance of 59 million light years. The galaxy may form a pair with another nearby galaxy, NGC 1375, but it is uncertain based on estimated distance of NGC 1375. It is a member of Fornax Cluster, a cluster of 200 galaxies, and it is positioned near the center of cluster and central galaxy NGC 1399, while closest galaxy after NGC 1375, outside the pair, is NGC 1373. NGC 1374's size on night sky is 2.7' x 2.4′ which with the galaxy's distance gives a diameter of 50,000 light-years.

Classification

NGC 1374 is an early-type galaxy with a Hubble classification of E1, indicating a flattening of 10%, but also it shows a subtle differetantion of light about halfway out of radius, which is indicating transition to S0 classification. It has a bright core surrounded by a soft hazy halo.[2]

Despite their name, early-type galaxies are much older than spiral galaxies, and mostly comprise old, red-colored stars. Very little star formation occurs in these galaxies; the lack of star formation in elliptical galaxies appears to start at the center and then slowly propagates outward.[3]

Globular clusters

It is rich with globular cluster, with an estimated number of cluster of 406 ± 81. There are blue and red globular clusters, althrough red globulars are more populous than blue ones. Same trend is present in NGC 1379 and NGC 1387. This globular clusters, like globulars in NGC 1379 and NGC 1387, didn't show any evidences of multiple populations.[4]

References
  1. Dunlop, Storm (2005). Atlas of the Night Sky. Collins. ISBN 978-0-00-717223-8.
  2. http://sandandstars.co.za/2018/01/22/fornax/
  3. Howell, Elizabeth (2015). "Colossal Ancient Galaxies Die from the Inside Out". space.com. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  4. Bassino, Lilia P.; Richtler, Tom; Dirsch, Boris (2006). "Globular cluster systems in low-luminosity early-type galaxies near the Fornax cluster centre". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 367 (1): 156–168. arXiv:astro-ph/0511770. Bibcode:2006MNRAS.367..156B. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.09919.x.
  • Media related to NGC 1374 at Wikimedia Commons
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