NGC 3044 is a barred spiral galaxy in the equatorialconstellation of Sextans. It was discovered on December 13, 1784, by German-born English astronomer William Herschel. In 1888, Danish astronomer J. L. E. Dreyer described it as "very faint, very large, very much extended 122°". It is located at an estimated distance of 67million light years. In the B band of the UBV photometric system, the galaxy spans 4.70′ by 0.80′ with the major axis aligned along a position angle of 113°. It is a relatively isolated galaxy with no nearby companions. R. B. Tully in 1988 assigned it as a member of the widely displaced Leo Cloud.
The morphological classification of NGC 3044 is SBc, indicating a barred spiral (SB) with somewhat loosely-wound spiral arms (c). It is being viewed edge-on, with a galactic plane that is inclined at an angle of 79°±4° to the plane of the sky. The disk appears lob-sided and disturbed, suggesting a recent merger or interaction. There is a diffuse ionized gas extending to 1kpc above the center of the plane.
The stars in the galaxy have a combined mass of approximately 1.01×1010M☉, and the star formation rate is 2.77M☉·yr–1. The total mass of the atomic gas in this galaxy is 3.5×109M☉, and it has a dust mass of 1.6×108M☉. The galaxy as a whole has a dynamic mass of 6.4×1010M☉.
Supernova
One supernova has been observed in NGC 3044: SN1983E (TypeII, mag. 14) was discovered by Natalʹja Metlova on 13 March 1983, at an offset 29″ east, 11″ south of the galaxy.
123Irwin, J. A.; etal. (August 2013), "The 617 MHz-λ 850 μm correlation (cosmic rays and cold dust) in NGC 3044 and NGC 4157", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 433 (4): 2958–2974, arXiv:1306.0226, Bibcode:2013MNRAS.433.2958I, doi:10.1093/mnras/stt937.
↑Sulentic, Jack W.; etal. (1973), The Revised New Catalogue of Nonstellar Astronomical Objects, Tucson: University of Arizona Press, Bibcode:1973rncn.book.....S.
↑Singal, J.; etal. (November 1989), "Axial Ratio of Edge-On Spiral Galaxies as a Test for Bright Radio Halos", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 81: 51–58, Bibcode:1989A&AS...81...51H.
↑Tsvetkov, D. Yu. (1988). "Light curves of five supernovae". Peremennye Zvezdy. 22: 653. Bibcode:1988PZ.....22..653T.
↑Aksenov, E. P.; Terebizh, Yu. V.; Maza, J.; Gonzalez, L. E. (1983). "Supernovae". International Astronomical Union Circular (3787): 1. Bibcode:1983IAUC.3787....1A.
Lee, S.; Irwin, J. A. (December 1996), "Neutral hydrogen in the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 3044: global properties and the discovery of H I supershells.", Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 90: 325, Bibcode:1996JRASC..90R.325L.