| NGC 4608 | |
|---|---|
 SDSS image of NGC 4608. | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Right ascension | 12h 41m 13.286s[1] |
| Declination | +10° 09′ 20.38″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.00617[1] |
| Heliocentric radial velocity | 1850 km/s[1] |
| Distance | 56.4 ± 2.6 Mly (17.3 ± 0.8 Mpc)[2] |
| Group orcluster | Virgo Cluster |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.97[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SB00(r)[1] |
| Size | ~53,105.36 ly (estimated) |
| Apparent size (V) | 3.2′ × 2.7′[1] |
| Other designations | |
| UGC 7842,MCG +02-32-177,PGC 42545[1] | |
NGC 4608 is abarred lenticular galaxy located in theconstellation ofVirgo. The galaxy was discovered by astronomerWilliam Herschel on March 15, 1784.[3] At about 56 millionlight-years (17.3 megaparsecs) away,[2] it is a member of theVirgo Cluster.[4]
NGC 4608 has a very well-defined bar. Surrounding the bar, there is an inner ring that is defined by a sharp inner edge. Outside of the inner ring,[5] there is a low surface brightness disk[6] that contains weak spiral features.[5]
The center of NGC 4608 is a classicalbulge, which is a bulge similar to an elliptical galaxy.[2] The disk in NGC 4608 is practically considered non-existent. One explanation is that the bar in the galaxy was able to form without a disk. Another explanation says that a weak bar forms initially. Over time, the bar grows by causing the external disk to loseangular momentum therefore funneling material toward thebulge. Then the bar would be surrounded by a halo with very little or no disk left.[6]
