| NGC 3843 | |
|---|---|
 NGC 3843 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 11h 43m 54.6s |
| Declination | +07° 55′ 34″ |
| Redshift | 0.019707 |
| Heliocentric radial velocity | 5,854 km/s |
| Distance | 270 million light-years (83.2 Mpc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 13.5 |
| Surface brightness | 12.4 mag/arcmin2 |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | S0-a |
| Apparent size (V) | 0.9′ × 0.4′ |
| Notable features | Lenticular galaxy in Virgo Cluster |
| Other designations | |
| PGC 36471, UGC 6699, MCG +1-30-11, CGCG 40-34 | |
NGC 3843 is alenticular galaxy located in theconstellation Virgo, first cataloged by the German-British astronomerWilliam Herschel. Classified as type S0-a, it shows characteristics intermediate betweenelliptical andspiral galaxies, without prominentspiral arms. The galaxy has avisual magnitude of approximately 13.5, making it relatively faint and challenging to observe without larger telescopes. With an angular size of about 0.9 by 0.4arcminutes, NGC 3843 is around 270 millionlight-years from Earth, determined by itsredshift of 0.0197.
NGC 3843 is alenticular galaxy of type S0-a, indicating that it has properties intermediate between elliptical and spiral galaxies. These characteristics are common in lenticular galaxies, which often feature a prominent central bulge and a faint, disk-like structure without distinctspiral arms. NGC 3843's apparent size is approximately 0.9 by 0.4arcminutes, with avisual magnitude of 13.5, making it a dim object that requires moderate to large telescopes for observation.[1][2]
The galaxy'sredshift is measured at 0.019707, corresponding to aradial velocity of around 5,854 km/s, placing NGC 3843 roughly 270 million light-years (or 83.2 megaparsecs) from Earth. Its surface brightness of 12.4 mag/arcmin2 reflects its dim appearance against the background sky.[3] As a member of theVirgo Cluster, NGC 3843 is situated among other galaxies in a dense region of space, which offers valuable insights into the evolution of lenticular galaxies within largegalaxy clusters.
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NGC 3843 was first cataloged by the German-British astronomerWilliam Herschel, a key figure in the 18th century known for his systematic deep-sky surveys. Herschel’s extensive observations contributed to what would later become theNew General Catalogue (NGC), a comprehensive listing of nebulae and galaxies compiled byJohn Louis Emil Dreyer in 1888.[citation needed]
The discovery of NGC 3843 took place during an era when astronomers were beginning to recognize the vastness of the universe beyond theMilky Way. Herschel’s work laid the groundwork for later astronomers who studied galaxies like NGC 3843 to understand their properties and distribution. With advancements in telescopic technology, 20th- and 21st-century surveys, such as theSloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), have provided detailed images and data, revealing its structure as a lenticular galaxy within the Virgo Cluster.[citation needed]
