| NGC 1079 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Fornax |
| Right ascension | 02h 43m 44.3s[1] |
| Declination | −29° 00′ 12″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.004843 ± 0.000017 km/s[2] |
| Distance | ~61,5Mly[2] (18.8 ± 1.3Mpc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.5[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (B) | 12.4[2] |
| Surface brightness | 14.4 mag/arcmin2[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Apparent size (V) | 5.50 x 3.1 arcmin[2] |
| Other designations | |
| ESO 416-13, MCG -5-7-17, IRAS02415-2913, PGC 10330 | |
NGC 1079 is an isolated,weakly barred,grand-designspiral galaxy with transitionalring-like structures[3] containing a number of prominentA type stars.[1] It is located in theFornax constellation and is part of theEridanussupercluster.[4] It was first observed and catalogued by the astronomerJohn Herschel in 1835.[5]
NGC 1079 has unique characteristics when compared to other galaxies with a similar luminosity. ItsH l content per unitblue luminosity is three times higher. Its mass and rotation velocity is twice as large as normal and it has a lowsurface brightness in its spiral arms, exterior to a high surface brightness center dominated byold stars. A study[6] suggests these characteristics occur due to a luminous matter deficiency relative to its dynamical mass within theHolmberg radius.
Astronomers first identified NGC 1079's ring structure in 1996 by studying itsHSTultraviolet imaging.[7] Later studies have shown virtually all thestar-formation activity in this galaxy occurs inside the ring.[8]
Other galaxies with star-forming rings include:
