NGC 6217

NGC 6217
NGC 6217 imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationUrsa Minor
Right ascension16h 32m 39.217s
Declination+78° 11′ 53.56″
Redshift0.004543 ± 0.000013
Heliocentric radial velocity1,368 km/s
Distance67.2 Mly (20.6 Mpc)
Apparent magnitude (V)11.2
Characteristics
Type(R)SB(rs)bc
Apparent size (V)55,000 light years
Other designations
ARP 185, UGC 10470

NGC 6217 is a barred spiral galaxy located some 67 million light years away, in the constellation Ursa Minor. It can be located with a 10 cm (4 in) or larger telescope as an 11th magnitude object about 2.5° east-northeast of the star Zeta Ursae Minoris. The galaxy is inclined by an angle of 33° to the line of sight along a position angle of 162°.

A morphological classification of (R')SB(rs)bc indicates that NGC 6217 has a false outer ring-like structure formed from the spiral arms (R'), a well-defined bar running across the nucleus (SB), a partial inner ring (rs), and moderately-wound spiral arms (bc). The nucleus is spherical in shape, showing no indication of oblateness. The prominent bar spans an angular distance of 48″ (48 arc seconds) across the galaxy along a position angle of 35.97° ± 0.35°. At 10″ southeast of the nucleus is a prominent region of star formation. The inner ring is about 43″.5 across.

NGC 6217 has been characterized as a starburst galaxy, which means it is undergoing a high rate of star formation compared to a typical galaxy. As a result, the spectrum is dominated by stellar photoionization from young, hot stars. This component is less than 10 million years old, producing a blue-hued spectral continuum with absorption weak lines from elements other than hydrogen and helium. At the core of the galaxy is a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus which has formed an H II region.

Supernova

One supernova has been observed in NGC 6217: SN 2018gj (Type II, mag 14.6) was discovered by Patrick Wiggins on 14 January 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 Skrutskie, Michael F.; Cutri, Roc M.; Stiening, Rae; Weinberg, Martin D.; Schneider, Stephen E.; Carpenter, John M.; Beichman, Charles A.; Capps, Richard W.; Chester, Thomas; Elias, Jonathan H.; Huchra, John P.; Liebert, James W.; Lonsdale, Carol J.; Monet, David G.; Price, Stephan; Seitzer, Patrick; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Gizis, John E.; Howard, Elizabeth V.; Evans, Tracey E.; Fowler, John W.; Fullmer, Linda; Hurt, Robert L.; Light, Robert M.; Kopan, Eugene L.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; McCallon, Howard L.; Tam, Robert; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Wheelock, Sherry L. (1 February 2006). "The Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS)". The Astronomical Journal. 131 (2): 1163–1183. Bibcode:2006AJ....131.1163S. doi:10.1086/498708. ISSN 0004-6256. S2CID 18913331.
  2. 1 2 "NGC 6216", NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database, retrieved 2013-06-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gusev, A. S.; et al. (August 2012), "Oxygen and nitrogen abundances of H II regions in six spiral galaxies", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 424 (3): 1930–1940, arXiv:1205.3910, Bibcode:2012MNRAS.424.1930G, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21322.x, S2CID 118437910.
  4. 1 2 O'Meara, Stephen James (2007), Steve O'Meara's Herschel 400 Observing Guide, Cambridge University Press, p. 227, ISBN 978-0521858939.
  5. 1 2 3 Ann, Hong Bae (December 2003), "CCD Surface Photometry of Spiral Galaxies: Bulge Morphology", Journal of the Korean Astronomical Society, 36 (4): 261–270, Bibcode:2003JKAS...36..261A, doi:10.5303/jkas.2003.36.4.261.
  6. 1 2 Cid Fernandes, Roberto; González Delgado, Rosa M.; Schmitt, Henrique; Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa; Martins, Lucimara P.; Pérez, Enrique; Heckman, Timothy; Leitherer, Claus; Schaerer, Daniel (April 2004), "The Stellar Populations of Low-Luminosity Active Galactic Nuclei. I. Ground-based Observations", Astrophysical Journal, 605 (1): 105–126, arXiv:astro-ph/0401416, Bibcode:2004ApJ...605..105C, doi:10.1086/382217, S2CID 119101213.
  7. ↑ Buta, Ronald J.; et al. (2007), Atlas of Galaxies, Cambridge University Press, pp. 13–17, ISBN 978-0521820486.
  8. ↑ Cabrera-Lavers, A.; Garzón, F. (March 2004), "An Optical Study of a Sample of Spiral Galaxies", The Astronomical Journal, 127 (3): 1386–1404, Bibcode:2004AJ....127.1386C, doi:10.1086/381924.
  9. ↑ Elfhag, T.; et al. (February 1996), "A CO survey of galaxies with the SEST and the 20-m Onsala telescope", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement, 115: 439–468, Bibcode:1996A&AS..115..439E.
  10. ↑ Véron-Cetty, M.-P.; Véron, P. (July 2010), "A catalogue of quasars and active nuclei", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 518 (13th ed.): A10, Bibcode:2010A&A...518A..10V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201014188.
  11. ↑ "SN 2018gj". Transient Name Server. IAU. Retrieved 28 August 2025.