https://www.legacysurvey.org//viewer/?ra=39.7644&dec=-27.4412&layer=ls-dr9&zoom=14
It’s so beautiful and bright! Like a Starburst Blue Rose
1 Like
Very cool spot! I think this is a lenticular galaxy - that is to say a galaxy that is between a bit elliptical and a bit spiral. They tend to have a big disk but not “proper” spiral arms. This galaxy here seems to have some spiral-like structures but they aren’t that pronounced or large. That being said, lenticular galaxies tend to often have little ongoing star formation so the star-forming material seen in the centre here would not be common for a lenticular so you could make the case it is a spiral. I will look into this particular one.
2 Likes
I eat my words. This website says it is lenticular. A 1982 paper declares it is a loosely wound spiral galaxy (SBc). A 1986 paper then says it is a blue compact dwarf (iE BCD). A 1991 paper then says it is an intermediate spiral galaxy (SAB0). This 1996 paper is the only one to call it a lenticular. This 2004 paper then says it has a double nucleus but declines to offer any further insight.
However, prevailing scientific opinion (by which I mean the latest paper, see top of page 8) says it is an “Im(cc)” galaxy but referring to a 2009 paper. I haven’t seen this type of classification before but apparently it means an irregular galaxy with a large number of scattered star forming regions, originally applied to high redshift clumpy galaxies.
If any professional astronomers would like to enlighten us on why everyone disagrees and which paper is right, please do.
2 Likes
I think the right classification is a blue compact galaxy, and a Spiral Sa
1 Like
This thread on this galaxy has lead me to the conclusion that We should study this astoundingly beautiful galaxy more. Maybe it is so unique it needs it’s own classification. It might be my new favorite galaxy.
Upon DECam imaging by the DES/DESI Legacy Survey, I could conclude this still as amixture of a spiral galaxy of type Sa and a blue compact galaxy.
Several papers can’t decide the right classification (because of POSS, which is 4x less resolution than DECam), so this galaxy does have classifications of unclear morphology.