NGC 1272

Lore & Background

NGC 1272 was discovered by astronomer Heinrich d'Arrest on February 14, 1863. It has two radio jets powered by an active galactic nucleus at its center. The jets are bent and have a radius of curvature of about 2 kiloparsecs. Their morphology indicates that the jets are affected by ram-pressure stripping caused by the galaxy's motion through the intracluster medium of the Perseus Cluster. Because of NGC 1272's proximity to the cluster center, it experiences ram-pressure an order of magnitude larger than any other bent-double in the cluster and stronger ram-pressure than bent-doubles outside the cluster.

The small bending radius of the jets requires that NGC 1272 have essentially no interstellar medium at radii of about 2 kiloparsecs and beyond. The ISM may have also been removed through ram-pressure stripping, but ram-pressure alone cannot remove a fraction of the ISM from deep within the galaxy. Another process, such as AGN feedback in NGC 1272, must have initially removed a large fraction of the ISM before ram-pressure could become effective in removing the remaining ISM.

It is estimated that around 12,000 globular clusters surround NGC 1272. On February 26, 2016, a Type Ia supernova designated SN 2016arc was discovered in the galaxy.

Reader's Guide

NGC 1272 is significant as a massive elliptical galaxy that serves as the second brightest member of the Perseus Cluster, a rich galaxy cluster. Its bent radio jets provide a clear example of how ram-pressure stripping, driven by the galaxy's motion through the intracluster medium, can distort radio structures. The galaxy's proximity to the cluster center subjects it to ram-pressure an order of magnitude larger than any other bent-double in the cluster, making it an extreme case for studying environmental effects on galaxies. The interplay between AGN feedback and ram-pressure stripping in removing the interstellar medium from deep within the galaxy highlights the complex processes that govern galaxy evolution in dense cluster environments. The presence of an estimated 12,000 globular clusters and the detection of a Type Ia supernova in 2016 add to its observational importance. NGC 1272 is often compared with other bent-double radio galaxies, such as NGC 1265 and NGC 4061, and is listed alongside other Perseus Cluster members like NGC 1275, NGC 1277, and NGC 1278 in studies of cluster dynamics and active galactic nuclei.

Did You Know?

• NGC 1272 was discovered by Heinrich d'Arrest on February 14, 1863.
• It has two bent radio jets with a radius of curvature of about 2 kiloparsecs.
• The galaxy is surrounded by an estimated 12,000 globular clusters.
• A Type Ia supernova, SN 2016arc, was discovered in NGC 1272 on February 26, 2016.