A unique feature of this galaxy is that the stars and dust of the nuclear disk are rotating in a direction that is aligned perpendicularly to thegalactic disk. Thebulge likewise appears elongated out of the galactic plane. This unusual alignment may have been the result of a pastmerger event.[5]
NGC 4698 is classified as aSeyfert-2 galaxy with anactive galactic nucleus, which displays a prominent emission of radio and X-ray energy from the core while showing narrowemission lines in the optical spectrum.[6] The unified model of Seyfert galaxies proposes that the nucleus of a Seyfert 2 galaxy is obscured by a thick torus of gas and dust. However, the varying X-ray emission of the core of NGC 4698 shows little indication of being obstructed, suggesting instead that the source of the energy emission is generally unobscured but anemic in nature.[9]
^abSkrutskie, Michael F.; Cutri, Roc M.; Stiening, Rae; Weinberg, Martin D.; Schneider, Stephen E.; Carpenter, John M.; Beichman, Charles A.; Capps, Richard W.; Chester, Thomas; Elias, Jonathan H.; Huchra, John P.; Liebert, James W.; Lonsdale, Carol J.; Monet, David G.; Price, Stephan; Seitzer, Patrick; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Gizis, John E.; Howard, Elizabeth V.; Evans, Tracey E.; Fowler, John W.; Fullmer, Linda; Hurt, Robert L.; Light, Robert M.; Kopan, Eugene L.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; McCallon, Howard L.; Tam, Robert; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Wheelock, Sherry L. (1 February 2006)."The Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS)".The Astronomical Journal.131 (2):1163–1183.Bibcode:2006AJ....131.1163S.doi:10.1086/498708.ISSN0004-6256.S2CID18913331.
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