NGC 4709 is an

elliptical galaxy An elliptical galaxy is a type of galaxy with an approximately ellipsoidal shape and a smooth, nearly featureless image. They are one of the three main galaxy morphological classification, classes of galaxy described by Edwin Hubble in his Hub ...

located in the constellation

Centaurus Centaurus () is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the 88 modern constellations by area, largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one ...

. It is considered to be a member of the

Centaurus Cluster The Centaurus Cluster (A3526) is a cluster of hundreds of galaxies, located approximately 170 million light-years away in the Centaurus constellation. The brightest member galaxy is the elliptical galaxy NGC 4696 (~11m). The Centaurus clust ...

and is the dominant member of a small group of galaxies known as "Cen 45" which is currently merging with the main

(Cen 30) even though the two subclusters' line of sight

redshift In physics, a redshift is an increase in the wavelength, and corresponding decrease in the frequency and photon energy, of electromagnetic radiation (such as light). The opposite change, a decrease in wavelength and increase in frequency and e ...

velocities differ by about 1500 km/s. NGC 4709 was discovered by astronomer

James Dunlop James Dunlop FRSE (31 October 1793 – 22 September 1848) was a Scottish astronomer, noted for his work in Australia. He was employed by Sir Thomas Brisbane to work as astronomer's assistant at his private observatory, once located at Param ...

on May 7, 1826.

Distance estimates

Lucey et al. suggests that NGC 4709 and the Cen 45 subgroup lie at about the same distance as the main

which is about .

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:NGC 4709 Centaurus Elliptical galaxies 4709 43423 Centaurus Cluster Astronomical objects discovered in 1826

Distance estimates

See also

References

External links