| NGC 4492 | |
|---|---|
 Pan-STARRS image of NGC 4492 | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 30m 59.7s[1] |
| Declination | 08° 04′ 40″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.005804/1740 km/s[1] |
| Distance | 90,950,000ly[2][3] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 13.0[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SA(s)a?[1] |
| Size | ~33,450 ly (estimated)[1] |
| Apparent size (V) | 1.58 x 1.25[1] |
| Other designations | |
| IC 3438, PGC 41383, UGC 7656, VCC 1330[1] | |
NGC 4492 is aspiral galaxy[4] located about 90 millionlight-years away[2] in theconstellationVirgo.[5] NGC 4492 was discovered by astronomerWilliam Herschel on December 28, 1785. It was rediscovered by astronomerArnold Schwassmann on January 23, 1900, and was listed asIC 3438.[6] NGC 4492 lies in the direction of theVirgo Cluster. However, it is not considered to be a member of thatcluster.[7]
NGC 4492 has a relatively largebulge while showing signs of weak spiral structure.[7] The spiral arms are also outlined bylanes ofinterstellar dust.[8]
NGC 4492 is listed in theVirgo Cluster Catalog as VCC 1330.[8] However, distance estimates to the galaxy place it at a location far outside of the cluster's center.[2][7] Also, its radial velocity indicates that NGC 4492 is not gravitationally bound to theVirgo Cluster but is expanding away from it. Therefore, NGC 4492 is not a member of theVirgo Cluster but rather a background galaxy.[7]
