| IC 3583 | |
|---|---|
 Hubble Space Telescope image of IC 3583 | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 36.4m[1] |
| Declination | −13° 15′[1] |
| Distance | 9.1 megaparsecs (30 Mly) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 13.3[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | Irr[1] |
| Apparent size (V) | 2.2′ × 1.1′[1] |
| Notable features | Forms a pair with Messier 90 |
| Other designations | |
| Arp 76, IRAS 12341+1332, MCG 2-32-154, PGC 42081, UGC 7784 | |
IC 3583 is anirregular galaxy some 30 millionlight-years away in the constellation ofVirgo. It was discovered byIsaac Roberts on April 29, 1892.
It may seem to have no discernable structure, but IC 3583 has been found to have a bar of stars running through its centre. These structures are common throughout the Universe, and are found within the majority of spiral, many irregular, and some lenticular galaxies. Two of our closest cosmic neighbours, theLarge andSmall Magellanic Clouds, are barred, indicating that they may have once been barred spiral galaxies that were disrupted or torn apart by the gravitational pull of theMilky Way.[2]
Something similar might be happening with IC 3583. This small galaxy is thought to be gravitationally interacting with one of its neighbours, the spiralMessier 90. Together, the duo form a pairing known as Arp 76. It is still unclear whether these flirtations are the cause of IC 3583's irregular appearance.[2]
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Media related toIC 3583 at Wikimedia Commons