NGC 4346
| NGC 4346 | |
|---|---|
 NGC 4346 imaged by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Canes Venatici |
| Right ascension | 12h 23m 27.9702s |
| Declination | +46° 59′ 37.558″ |
| Redshift | 0.002592 ± 0.000123 |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.2 |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SB0 |
| Apparent size (V) | 3.2′ × 1.3′ |
| Other designations | |
| PGC 40228, UGC 7463, CGCG 244-009, MCG +08-23-016 | |
NGC 4346 is a barred lenticular galaxy located in the northern constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered on 1 April 1788 by the German-British astronomer William Herschel. The galaxy is positioned approximately 50 million light-years from Earth and spans roughly 45,000 light-years in diameter.
Morphology and Classification
[edit]NGC 4346 is classified as type SB0 in the de Vaucouleurs system, indicating a barred lenticular galaxy viewed at moderate inclination. The "S" denotes a spiral structure (though highly evolved), the "B" indicates the presence of a central bar structure, and the "0" signifies an intermediate stage between elliptical and spiral morphologies with minimal star formation activity.
The galaxy exhibits an apparent ellipticity corresponding to an inclination angle of approximately 65–70 degrees from face-on. Its apparent dimensions of 3.2 by 1.3 arcminutes translate to a physical diameter of roughly 45,000 light-years at its estimated distance, making it comparable in size to the Milky Way's central bulge region.
Physical Characteristics
[edit]Stellar Population
[edit]As a lenticular galaxy, NGC 4346 is dominated by an evolved stellar population consisting primarily of older, metal-rich stars. The lack of prominent spiral arms and minimal interstellar dust lanes indicates that star formation has largely ceased, with the galaxy having exhausted or lost most of its molecular gas reservoir through previous starburst activity or ram-pressure stripping during interactions with the surrounding intergalactic medium.
Luminosity and Magnitude
[edit]NGC 4346 has an apparent magnitude of approximately 11.2 in the visual band, making it accessible to amateur astronomers with moderate-sized telescopes under dark skies. Its absolute magnitude places it among the more luminous lenticular galaxies in the Canes Venatici region.
Kinematics
[edit]The galaxy exhibits a recessional velocity of approximately 777 km/s, corresponding to a redshift of z = 0.002592. This relatively modest velocity indicates that NGC 4346 is gravitationally bound to the larger structures of the Virgo Supercluster rather than being a field galaxy.
Environment and Galaxy Group Membership
[edit]NGC 4346 resides in the Canes Venatici region, an area rich in spiral and lenticular galaxies associated with the Canes II Group (also known as the Canes Venatici II Group). This galaxy group, located at approximately 26 million light-years, represents a loose association of galaxies within the larger Local Supercluster structure.
While NGC 4346's estimated distance of 50 million light-years places it somewhat beyond the core Canes II Group, it likely participates in the extended filamentary structure connecting the Canes Venatici region to the Virgo Cluster. The galaxy's environment is characterized by moderate galaxy density, with several nearby companions visible in wide-field surveys including the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS).
History of Observations
[edit]Discovery (1788)
[edit]William Herschel discovered NGC 4346 during his systematic survey of the northern sky, conducted from his observatory in Slough, England. The discovery date of 1 April 1788 places it among the later entries in Herschel's catalog of nebulae and star clusters, which eventually formed the basis for the New General Catalogue (NGC) compiled by John Louis Emil Dreyer in 1888.
Herschel's original observation described the object as "bright, considerably large, a little extended," consistent with its appearance as an edge-on lenticular galaxy. His 18.7-inch speculum mirror telescope provided sufficient resolution to distinguish NGC 4346 from surrounding field stars, though the galaxy's barred structure would remain unresolved until photographic surveys of the 20th century.
Modern Observations
[edit]Contemporary studies of NGC 4346 utilize data from multiple sky surveys:
- Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS): Provides high-resolution optical imaging and spectroscopy for kinematic analysis
- Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS): Offers near-infrared photometry probing the older stellar populations
- Spitzer Space Telescope: Mid-infrared observations constrain dust content and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission
These multi-wavelength datasets enable detailed spectral energy distribution modeling and stellar population synthesis studies.
See Also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database: NGC 4346". NASA/IPAC. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ↑ "SIMBAD Astronomical Database: NGC 4346". Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
