NGC 5173

NGC 5173
NGC 5173
	NGC 5173 imaged by the DESI Legacy Surveys
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Canes Venatici
Right ascension	13h 28m 25.280s
Declination	+46° 35′ 29.89″
Heliocentric radial velocity	2,419 km/s
Distance	125 ± 23 Mly (38.3 ± 7.0 Mpc)
Apparent magnitude (V)	12.2
Apparent magnitude (B)	13.2
Surface brightness	12.2
Characteristics
Type	SA
Apparent size (V)	1.191′ × 1.066′
Other designations
	NGC 5173, UGC 8468, LEDA 47257, MCG +08-25-005, PGC 47257

NGC 5173 is a peculiar elliptical galaxy in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici. It was discovered May 12, 1787 by German-British astronomer William Herschel. This galaxy has an apparent visual magnitude of 12.2, and spans an angular size of 1.2′ × 1.1′. It is the second brightest member of a small group of galaxies, with the brightest being NGC 5198; it lies at the eastern edge of its group. NGC 5171 is separated from the nearby Sb galaxy NGC 5169 by just 5.5′, and they have a velocity difference of 17 km/s.

Originally, this was classified by de Vaucouleurs as an elliptical galaxy, having a morphological classification of E0: which indicates a spherically-symmetric shape. In 1984, neutral hydrogen gas was discovered in NGC 5171, with a mass estimated at ~10⁹ M_☉ being about double that of gas-rich ellipticals.

Observations reported in 1991 showed the presence of a star-forming spiral structure located off-center from the galaxy isophotes. This may be the remnant of an accreted galaxy similar to the Large Magellanic Cloud, with at least 10–20% of the original galaxy's mass. The disk has a radial extent of about 3.5 to 9.5 kpc. Massive clusters have formed in this disk over the last 400 Myr. Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope show filamentary structures at the center of the galaxy.

References

1 2 3 4 5 Frommert, Hartmut, Revised NGC Data for NGC 5173, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, retrieved 2025-01-11.
1 2 Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023), "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 674: A1, arXiv:2208.00211, Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940, S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
1 2 3 4 Buta, Ronald J. (September 2019), "The systematics of galaxy morphology in the comprehensive de Vaucouleurs revised Hubble-Sandage classification system: application to the EFIGI sample", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 488 (1) stz1693: 590–608, arXiv:1906.08124, Bibcode:2019MNRAS.488..590B, doi:10.1093/mnras/stz1693.
↑ Burke, Colin J.; et al. (January 2025), "Multiwavelength Constraints on the Local Black Hole Occupation Fraction", The Astrophysical Journal, 978 (1), id. 77, arXiv:2410.11177, Bibcode:2025ApJ...978...77B, doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad94d9.
1 2 Moustakas, John; et al. (2023), "Siena Galaxy Atlas 2020", The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 269 (1): 3, arXiv:2307.04888, Bibcode:2023ApJS..269....3M, doi:10.3847/1538-4365/acfaa2.
↑ "NGC 5173", SIMBAD, Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2025-01-11.
↑ Celigman, Courtney, "NGC Objects: NGC 5150 - 5199", Celestial Atlas, retrieved 2025-01-11.
1 2 3 4 Vader, J. P.; Vigroux, L. (June 1991), "A star-forming disk in the elliptical galaxy NGC 5173", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 246: 32, Bibcode:1991A&A...246...32V.
↑ Bettoni, D.; et al. (2014), "The UV window on counter rotating ETGs: insight from SPH simulations with chemo-photometric implementation", Astrophysics and Space Science, 354 (1): 83–88, arXiv:1405.3873, Bibcode:2014Ap&SS.354...83B, doi:10.1007/s10509-014-1973-0.
1 2 Erroz-Ferrer, Santiago; et al. (December 21, 2013), "Massive star formation in galaxies with excess ultraviolet emission", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 436 (4): 3135–3146, arXiv:1309.5908, doi:10.1093/mnras/stt1797.
1 2 Knapp, G. R.; Raimond, E. (September 1984), "Detection of HI in the elliptical galaxy NGC 5173", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 138: 77–84, Bibcode:1984A&A...138...77K.
1 2 Sil’chenko, O. K.; et al. (2022), "Star Formation in the Elliptical (?) Galaxy NGC 5173", Astrophysical Bulletin, 77 (1): 40–50, Bibcode:2022AstBu..77...40S, doi:10.1134/S1990341322010102.
↑ Xilouris, E. M.; et al. (2004), "Dust emission in early-type galaxies: The mid-infrared view", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 416: 41–55, arXiv:astro-ph/0312029, Bibcode:2004A&A...416...41X, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034020.

[Frommert-1] 1 2 3 4 5 Frommert, Hartmut, Revised NGC Data for NGC 5173, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, retrieved 2025-01-11.

[GaiaDR3-2] 1 2 Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023), "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 674: A1, arXiv:2208.00211, Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940, S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.

[Buta2019-3] 1 2 3 4 Buta, Ronald J. (September 2019), "The systematics of galaxy morphology in the comprehensive de Vaucouleurs revised Hubble-Sandage classification system: application to the EFIGI sample", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 488 (1) stz1693: 590–608, arXiv:1906.08124, Bibcode:2019MNRAS.488..590B, doi:10.1093/mnras/stz1693.

[Burke_et_al_2025-4] Burke, Colin J.; et al. (January 2025), "Multiwavelength Constraints on the Local Black Hole Occupation Fraction", The Astrophysical Journal, 978 (1), id. 77, arXiv:2410.11177, Bibcode:2025ApJ...978...77B, doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad94d9.

[Moustakas_et_al_2023-5] 1 2 Moustakas, John; et al. (2023), "Siena Galaxy Atlas 2020", The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 269 (1): 3, arXiv:2307.04888, Bibcode:2023ApJS..269....3M, doi:10.3847/1538-4365/acfaa2.

[SIMBAD-6] "NGC 5173", SIMBAD, Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2025-01-11.

[Seligman-7] Celigman, Courtney, "NGC Objects: NGC 5150 - 5199", Celestial Atlas, retrieved 2025-01-11.

[Vader_Vigroux_1991-8] 1 2 3 4 Vader, J. P.; Vigroux, L. (June 1991), "A star-forming disk in the elliptical galaxy NGC 5173", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 246: 32, Bibcode:1991A&A...246...32V.

[Bettoni_et_al_2014-9] Bettoni, D.; et al. (2014), "The UV window on counter rotating ETGs: insight from SPH simulations with chemo-photometric implementation", Astrophysics and Space Science, 354 (1): 83–88, arXiv:1405.3873, Bibcode:2014Ap&SS.354...83B, doi:10.1007/s10509-014-1973-0.

[Santiago_et_al_2013-10] 1 2 Erroz-Ferrer, Santiago; et al. (December 21, 2013), "Massive star formation in galaxies with excess ultraviolet emission", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 436 (4): 3135–3146, arXiv:1309.5908, doi:10.1093/mnras/stt1797.

[Knapp_Raimond_1984-11] 1 2 Knapp, G. R.; Raimond, E. (September 1984), "Detection of HI in the elliptical galaxy NGC 5173", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 138: 77–84, Bibcode:1984A&A...138...77K.

[Sil’chenko_et_al_2022-12] 1 2 Sil’chenko, O. K.; et al. (2022), "Star Formation in the Elliptical (?) Galaxy NGC 5173", Astrophysical Bulletin, 77 (1): 40–50, Bibcode:2022AstBu..77...40S, doi:10.1134/S1990341322010102.

[Xilouris_et_al_2004-13] Xilouris, E. M.; et al. (2004), "Dust emission in early-type galaxies: The mid-infrared view", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 416: 41–55, arXiv:astro-ph/0312029, Bibcode:2004A&A...416...41X, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20034020.