NGC 4490, Barred Spiral Galaxy (noao-ngc4490)

NGC 4490 · galaxy

Cocoon Galaxy

NGC 4490, also known as the Cocoon Galaxy, is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici.

RA12h 30m 36sDec+41° 38' 38"

Image: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and H. Schweiker (WIYN and NOIRLab/ NSF /AURA). CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: NGC 4490
All designations: NGC 4490 · Cocoon Galaxy
Object type: Galaxy
Constellation: Canes Venatici
Best viewing: Spring

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 12h 30m 36s
Declination (J2000): +41° 38' 38"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —
Redshift (z): 0.001885

III

Visibility tonight

The science

NGC 4490, also known as the Cocoon Galaxy, is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 14 January 1788. It is known to be of the closest interacting/merging galactic system. The galaxy lies at a distance of 25 million light years from Earth making it located in the local universe. It interacts with its smaller companion NGC 4485 and as a result is a starburst galaxy. NGC 4490 and NGC 4485 are collectively known in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies as Arp 269. The two galaxies have already made their closest approach and are rushing away from each other. It has been discovered that NGC 4490 has a double nucleus.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0