| NGC 4216 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 15m 54.3728s[1] |
| Declination | +13° 08′ 58.08″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.000437[1] |
| Distance | 55Mly[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.0[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SAB(s)b[1] |
| Size | 162,700ly (49.90kpc) (estimated)[1] |
| Apparent size (V) | 8.1′ × 1.8′[1] |
| Other designations | |
| VCC 167, HOLM 353A,IRAS 12133+1325,UGC 7284,MCG +02-31-072,PGC 39246,CGCG 069-112[1] | |
NGC 4216 is a metal-rich[2]intermediate spiral galaxy located not far from the center of theVirgo Cluster[2] of galaxies, roughly 55 millionlight-years away.[2] It was discovered by German-British astronomerWilliam Herschel on 17 April 1784.[3]
Seen nearly edge-on, NGC 4216 is one of the largest and brightest spiral galaxies of the Virgo Cluster, with anabsolute magnitude that has been estimated to be −22 (i.e.: brighter than theAndromeda Galaxy),[4] and like most spiral galaxies of this cluster shows a deficiency ofneutral hydrogen that is concentrated within the galaxy's optical disk and has a low surface density for a galaxy of its type.[5] This explains why NGC 4216 is considered ananemic galaxy by some authors, also with a lowstar formation activity for a galaxy of its type.[6] In fact, the galaxy's disk shows pillar-like structures that may have been caused by interactions with theintracluster medium of Virgo and/or with nearby galaxies.[7]
In NGC 4216'shalo, besides a rich system ofglobular clusters estimated to number around 700 (nearly five times more than theMilky Way),[4]two stellar streams that are interpreted as two satellite galaxies being disrupted and absorbed by this galaxy are present.[7]
NGC 4216 seems to be in a place of the Virgo cluster where dwarf galaxies are being destroyed/accreted at a high rate, with it suffering many interactions with these types of galaxies.[8]
Onesupernova has been observed in NGC 4216: SN 2024gy (type Ia, mag. 16.3) was discovered byKōichi Itagaki on 4 January 2024.[9]
NGC 4216, along withNGC 4206,NGC 4222, andIC 771, are listed together asHolm 353 inErik Holmberg'sA Study of Double and Multiple Galaxies Together with Inquiries into some General Metagalactic Problems, published in 1937.[10]
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