| NGC 4651 | |
|---|---|
 NGC 4651.Note the umbrella-shaped stream. | |
| Observation data (J2000epoch) | |
| Constellation | Coma Berenices |
| Right ascension | 12h 43m 42.6766s[1] |
| Declination | +16° 23′ 36.222″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.002669[1] |
| Heliocentric radial velocity | 800 ± 1 km/s[1] |
| Distance | 72.0Mly |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.39[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SA(rs)c[1] |
| Size | ~87,900 ly (26.95 kpc) (estimated)[1] |
| Apparent size (V) | 4.0′ × 2.6′[1] |
| Other designations | |
| Umbrella Galaxy,IRAS 12412+1639,Arp 189,UGC 7901,MCG +03-33-001,PGC 42833,CGCG 100-004,VV 56[1] | |
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NGC 4651 is aspiralgalaxy located in theconstellation ofComa Berenices that can be seen withamateurtelescopes, at a distance not well determined that ranges from 35 millionlight years[2] to 72 million light years.[3] It was discovered byGerman-British astronomerWilliam Herschel on 30 December 1783.[4]
This member of theVirgo Cluster, located on its outskirts,[5] is known as theUmbrella Galaxy due to theumbrella-shaped structure that extends from its disk to theeast and that is composed of stellar streams, being the remnants of a much smaller galaxy that has beentorn apart by NGC 4651'stidal forces,[2][6] something that explains why NGC 4651 has been included onHalton Arp'sAtlas of Peculiar Galaxies asArp 189 -galaxy with filaments-.
Studies usingradiotelescopes of the distribution of itsneutral hydrogen show distortions on NGC 4651's outer regions and a gas clump associated with adwarf galaxy that may have been born in the event that produced the mentioned stellar streams.[7]
Unlike most spiral galaxies of the Virgo Cluster, NGC 4651 is rich in neutral hydrogen, also extending beyond theoptical disk,[7] and itsstar formation is typical for a galaxy of its type.[5]
Twosupernovae have been observed in NGC 4651:
Media related toNGC 4651 at Wikimedia Commons
