NGC 3521 is a flocculent[4] intermediate spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is 1167 ± 26 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 56.1 ± 4.1 Mly (17.21 ± 1.26 Mpc).[1] However, 26 non-redshift measurements give a much closer distance of 37.17 ± 1.83 Mly (11.395 ± 0.56 Mpc).[5] It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 22 February 1784.[6]

NGC 3521
NGC 3521 imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationLeo
Right ascension11h 05m 48.581s[1]
Declination–00° 02′ 09.11″[1]
Redshift0.002672[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity801[2] km/s
Distance37.17 ± 1.83 Mly (11.395 ± 0.56 Mpc)[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)11.0[1]
Characteristics
TypeSAB(rs)bc[2]
Size~146,000 ly (44.75 kpc) (estimated)[1]
Apparent size (V)11′.0 × 5′.1[1]
Notable featuresHII LINER
Other designations
Bubble Galaxy[3], IRAS 11032+0014, UGC 6150, MCG +00-28-030, PGC 33550, CGCG 010-074[1]
NGC 3521 imaged by R Jay GaBany

NGC 3521 has a morphological classification of SAB(rs)bc,[2] which indicates that it is a spiral galaxy with a trace of a bar structure (SAB), a weak inner ring (rs), and moderate to loosely wound arm structure (bc).[7] The bar structure is difficult to discern, both because it has a low ellipticity and the galaxy is at a high inclination[2] of 72.7° to the line of sight.[4] The relatively bright bulge is nearly 3/4 the size of the bar, which may indicate the former is quite massive.[2] The nucleus of this galaxy is classified as an HII LINER,[8] as there is an H II region at the core and the nucleus forms a low-ionization nuclear emission-line region.

One supernova has been observed in NGC 3521: SN 2024aecx (type IIb, mag. 14.543) was discovered by ATLAS on 16 December 2024.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Results for object NGC 3521". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. NASA and Caltech. Retrieved 2006-10-24.
  2. ^ a b c d e Mao, Rui-Qing; et al. (December 2010), "An Extragalactic 12CO J = 3-2 Survey with the Heinrich Hertz Telescope", The Astrophysical Journal, 724 (2): 1336–1356, arXiv:1009.4906, Bibcode:2010ApJ...724.1336M, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/724/2/1336, S2CID 118390123.
  3. ^ "Hubble shears a "wooly" galaxy". ESA/Hubble. ESA/NASA. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b Liu, Guilin; et al. (July 2011), "The Super-linear Slope of the Spatially Resolved Star Formation Law in NGC 3521 and NGC 5194 (M51a)", The Astrophysical Journal, 735 (1): 63, arXiv:1104.4122, Bibcode:2011ApJ...735...63L, doi:10.1088/0004-637X/735/1/63, S2CID 119199965.
  5. ^ "Distance Results for NGC 3521". NASA/IPAC EXTRAGALACTIC DATABASE. NASA. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  6. ^ Seligman, Courtney. "New General Catalogue Objects: NGC 3521". Celestial Atlas. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  7. ^ Buta, Ronald J.; et al. (2007), The de Vaucouleurs Atlas of Galaxies, Cambridge University Press, pp. 13–17, ISBN 978-0521820486.
  8. ^ Das, Mousumi; et al. (December 2003), "Central Mass Concentration and Bar Dissolution in Nearby Spiral Galaxies", The Astrophysical Journal, 582 (1): 190–195, arXiv:astro-ph/0208467, Bibcode:2003ApJ...582..190D, doi:10.1086/344480, S2CID 18713107.
  9. ^ "SN 2024aecx". Transient Name Server. IAU. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
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