| NGC 3729 | |
|---|---|
 NGC 3729 byHubble Space Telescope | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Ursa Major |
| Right ascension | 11h 33m 49.3s[1] |
| Declination | 53° 07′ 32″[1] |
| Redshift | 1,060 ± 1km/s[1] |
| Distance | 65.7 ± 4.8Mly (20.2 ± 1.5Mpc)[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.0[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SB(r)a pec[1] |
| Apparent size (V) | 2.8′ × 1.8′[1] |
| Other designations | |
| UGC 6547, CGCG 268-051,MCG +09-19-117,PGC 35711[1] | |
NGC 3729 is abarred spiral galaxy located in the constellationUrsa Major. It is located at a distance of circa 65 millionlight years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3729 is about 60,000 light years across. It was discovered byWilliam Herschel on April 12, 1789.[3]
NGC 3729 has a bright nucleus embedded in a bar which measures 0.5 x 0.1 arcminutes. At the end of the bar lies a ring with knots. The outer part of the galaxy is formed by an asymmetric faint nebulosity with condensations.[4] It is possible that the condensation is a disturbed satellite galaxy.[5] In the centre of NGC 3729 is predicted to lie an intermediate-massblack hole, whose mass is estimated to be between 4 and 400 thousandsM☉ (104.6 ± 1.0M☉) based on Ks-band bulge luminosity.[6] The galaxy has an inner ring which emits in farultraviolet andH-alpha, which are considered to be markers of recentstar formation activity.[7]
NGC 3729 is member of theM109 Group[8] which is part of the southUrsa Major groups, part of theVirgo Supercluster.[9] It forms a pair withNGC 3718, which lies 11.5 arcminutes to the west.[4] It is possible the two galaxiesinteracted in the past.[10]
Although nosupernovae have been observed in NGC 3729 yet, aluminous red nova, designated AT 2018hso, was discovered on 31 October 2018 (type LRN, mag. 19.4).[11]
Media related toNGC 3729 at Wikimedia Commons