| NGC 4478 | |
|---|---|
 SDSS image of NGC 4478. | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 30m 17.4s[1] |
| Declination | 12° 19′ 43″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.004500/1349 km/s[1] |
| Distance | 52.2Mly[2] |
| Group orcluster | Virgo Cluster |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 12.36[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | E2[1] |
| Size | ~30,000 ly (estimated)[1] |
| Apparent size (V) | 1.9 x 1.6[1] |
| Other designations | |
| CGCG 70-133, MCG 2-32-99, PGC 41297, UGC 7645, VCC 1279[1] | |
NGC 4478 is anelliptical galaxy located about 50 millionlight-years away[3] in theconstellationVirgo.[4] NGC 4478 was discovered by astronomerWilliam Herschel on April 12, 1784.[5] NGC 4478 is a member of theVirgo Cluster.[6]
Hubble images indicate that NGC 4478 has a central nuclear disk.[7]
In NGC 4478, the central regions of the galaxy are high in metals while having less overabundance of the elementiron than the main body. In contrast, the outer regions of the galaxy are low in metals while having a high overabundance iniron.[7]
NGC 4478 has a typical sub-population of metal-poorglobular clusters. However, it has a lack of metal-rich clusters. The lack of metal-rich clusters in other galaxies is usually attributed toaccretion, ormergers with other galaxies. The only other known elliptical that has been shown to have a domination of metal-poor globular clusters is the giant galaxyNGC 4874 which is located in the center of theComa Cluster.[2]
Due to tidal truncation caused byMessier 87, a significant amount of globular clusters have been striped away from NGC 4478 and have become members ofMessier 87's globular cluster system.[8]
NGC 4478 is likely to be a companion of the giant ellipticalMessier 87. The two galaxies are separated from each other by about 130,400Light-years (40kpc). NGC 4478 has been tidally truncated byMessier 87.[2]
