NGC 3516 is abarred lenticular galaxy in the constellation ofUrsa Major. NGC 3516 is located about 150 millionlight years away fromEarth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 3516 is approximately 100,000 light years across. It was discovered byWilliam Herschel on April 3, 1785.[3]
Due to its high brightness in both UV and X-rays, and its prominent and clearactive galactic nucleus absorption features, it has been an ideal laboratory for studying the AGN warm-absorber outflows with high-resolutionspectroscopy. Over the past few decades, there have been many UV and X-ray case studies of the ionized outflows in NGC 3516.[7] NGC 3516 has been a remarkably variable AGN, showing changes in both the intrinsic continuum[8] and the intrinsic absorption by the ionized outflows.[9] In 2014, the broad lines almost disappeared, probably becoming obstructed, and thus the galaxy has been identified as a changing-look AGN, meaning it changed spectra between type 1 and type 2 AGN.[10]
The galaxy has been found to emitradiowaves, with the source extending towards the north for about 0.65 arcseconds.[11] That structure is a bit curved and probably is related to the gaseous outflow.[12] A spiral dust feature measuring 3 arcseconds in diameter is visible north of the nucleus. A blue filamentary feature is visible northeast of the nucleus and another blue feature is visible 1.5 arcseconds southwest of the nucleus.[13]
NGC 3516 is a relatively isolated galaxy. Near galaxies includeNGC 3147 with its group thatNGC 3155, UGC 5570, UGC 5686, and UGC 5689,NGC 3183,NGC 3348, andNGC 3364.[14] Garcia identified NGC 3516 as a member of group that also includes the galaxies NGC 3348, and NGC 3364.[15]
^Ilić, D.; Oknyansky, V.; Popović, L. č.; Tsygankov, S. S.; Belinski, A. A.; Tatarnikov, A. M.; Dodin, A. V.; Shatsky, N. I.; Ikonnikova, N. P.; Rakić, N.; Kovačević, A.; Marčeta-Mandić, S.; Burlak, M. A.; Mishin, E. O.; Metlova, N. V.; Potanin, S. A.; Zheltoukhov, S. G. (June 2020). "A flare in the optical spotted in the changing-look Seyfert NGC 3516".Astronomy & Astrophysics.638: A13.arXiv:2004.01308.Bibcode:2020A&A...638A..13I.doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202037532.S2CID214795047.
^Miyaji, Takamitsu; Wilson, Andrew S.; Perez-Fournon, Ismael (January 1992). "The radio source and bipolar nebulosity in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 3516".The Astrophysical Journal.385: 137.Bibcode:1992ApJ...385..137M.doi:10.1086/170922.
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