IC 2006 is an early-type galaxy with aHubble classification of E1,[5] but has also been listed as alenticular galaxy with a morphological type of SA0−.[2] Despite their name, early-type galaxies are much older than spiral galaxies, and mostly comprise old, red-colored stars. Very little star formation occurs in these galaxies; the lack of star formation in elliptical galaxies appears to start at the center and then slowly propagates outward.[7] Its age is estimated to be 8.1 ± 1.7 billion years.[8]
An image taken by theHubble Space Telescope in 2015 shows a characteristically smooth profile, with no spiral arms.[9] However, IC 2006 has a ring surrounding it. The ring appears to rotate in a direction opposite to the rest of the body, but this may be explained by apolar ring with an elliptical shape.[10]
^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.
^Panuzzo, P.; Rampazzo, R.; Bressan, A.; Vega, O.; Annibali, F.; Buson, L. M.; Clemens, M. S.; Zeilinger, W. W. (2011). "Nearby early-type galaxies with ionized gas. VI. The Spitzer-IRS view. Basic data set analysis and empirical spectral classification".Astronomy & Astrophysics.528: A10.arXiv:1010.2323.Bibcode:2011A&A...528A..10P.doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201015908.S2CID117915425.
^Bertsik, P. P.; Kolesnik, I. G. (1992). "IC 2006 - an elliptical galaxy with a polar ring".Kinematika I Fizika Nebesnykh Tel.8 (4):92–96.Bibcode:1992KFNT....8...92B.
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