NGC 3370
Encyclopedia
NGC 3370 is a spiral galaxy
about 98 million
light-year
s away in the constellation
Leo
. It is comparable to our own Milky Way
both in diameter (100,000 light years) and mass (1011 solar masses). NGC 3370 exhibits an intricate spiral arm structure surrounding a poorly defined nucleus.
, who provided it with the designation II 81. His son John
later designated it 750. William Herschel cataloged II 80 to NGC 3348 before and II 82 to NGC 3455 after NGC 3370.
The object has a surface brightness of 13 and a position angle (PA) of 140°.
On November 14, 1994, S. Van Dyk and the Leuschner Observatory
Supernova Search discovered a supernova
in NGC 3370 at 10h 44m 21.52s +17° 32′ 20.7′′, designated SN 1994ae. SN 1994ae was a type Ia supernova, and one of the nearest and best observed since the advent of modern digital detectors. The maximal light of the supernova was estimated to have occurred between November 30 and December 1, peaking at visual magnitude 13.
Spiral galaxy
A spiral galaxy is a certain kind of galaxy originally described by Edwin Hubble in his 1936 work The Realm of the Nebulae and, as such, forms part of the Hubble sequence. Spiral galaxies consist of a flat, rotating disk containing stars, gas and dust, and a central concentration of stars known as...
about 98 million
1 E23 m
To help compare different orders of magnitude, this page lists distances starting at 100 Zm .Distances shorter than 100 Zm* 140 Zm — 15 million light years — Distance to Centaurus A galaxy...
light-year
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s away in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Leo
Leo (constellation)
Leo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for lion. Its symbol is . Leo lies between dim Cancer to the west and Virgo to the east.-Stars:...
. It is comparable to our own Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
both in diameter (100,000 light years) and mass (1011 solar masses). NGC 3370 exhibits an intricate spiral arm structure surrounding a poorly defined nucleus.
History
NGC 3370 was likely discovered by William HerschelWilliam Herschel
Sir Frederick William Herschel, KH, FRS, German: Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel was a German-born British astronomer, technical expert, and composer. Born in Hanover, Wilhelm first followed his father into the Military Band of Hanover, but emigrated to Britain at age 19...
, who provided it with the designation II 81. His son John
John Herschel
Sir John Frederick William Herschel, 1st Baronet KH, FRS ,was an English mathematician, astronomer, chemist, and experimental photographer/inventor, who in some years also did valuable botanical work...
later designated it 750. William Herschel cataloged II 80 to NGC 3348 before and II 82 to NGC 3455 after NGC 3370.
The object has a surface brightness of 13 and a position angle (PA) of 140°.
On November 14, 1994, S. Van Dyk and the Leuschner Observatory
Leuschner Observatory
Leuschner Observatory, originally called the Students' Observatory, is an observatory operated by the University of California, Berkeley. The observatory was built in 1886 on the Berkeley campus. For many years, it was directed by Armin Otto Leuschner, for whom the observatory was renamed in 1951...
Supernova Search discovered a supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
in NGC 3370 at 10h 44m 21.52s +17° 32′ 20.7′′, designated SN 1994ae. SN 1994ae was a type Ia supernova, and one of the nearest and best observed since the advent of modern digital detectors. The maximal light of the supernova was estimated to have occurred between November 30 and December 1, peaking at visual magnitude 13.