NGC 3314
Two overlapping spiral galaxies in the Hydra Cluster.
NGC 3314 consists of two spiral galaxies that appear to overlap in the constellation Hydra. British astronomer John Herschel first spotted the pair on 24 March 1835, but neither he nor later observers realized that what looked like a single galaxy was actually two separate galaxies lying along the same line of sight.
This unusual alignment lets astronomers study interstellar dust in the foreground galaxy, NGC 3314a, which is seen face-on. The dust shows up as dark blue patches against the light of the background galaxy, NGC 3314b. Despite their visual overlap, the two galaxies are not interacting—they are physically unrelated and too far apart to influence each other.
In March 2000, a bright green star-like object appeared in one of the galaxies’ arms. Astronomers suspected it might be a supernova, but the foreground galaxy’s filtering effects made a definite identification difficult. NGC 3314a’s spiral arms and abundant dust also heavily obscure the view of NGC 3314b.
A long dust tail extends from NGC 3314a, evidence of ram pressure stripping as the galaxy moves through the intracluster medium of its home cluster, the Hydra Cluster. Both galaxies are members of this cluster.
Quick Facts
- Epoch
- J2000
- Ra
- 10 · 37 · 13.2
- Dec
- -27 · 41 · 04.0ned
- Z
- 0.009537 (a) / 0.015481 (b)ned-b
- Dist Ly
- 47.23 ± 3.33 Mpc (a)ned-a / 73.52 ± 5.16 Mpc (b)
- Appmag V
- 14ned
- Constellation Name
- Hydra
- Notes
- galaxy overlapping another
- Names
- (NGC 3314): ESO 501-46, AM 1034-272, MCG-04-25-041 / (NGC 3314A): LEDA 31531 / (NGC 3314B): LEDA 31532
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
NGC 3314 was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel on 24 March 1835. Herschel and others did not realize that what appeared to be a single galaxy is actually two galaxies in the same line of sight. The unique alignment of both spiral galaxies gives astronomers the opportunity to measure the properties of interstellar dust in the face-on foreground galaxy (NGC 3314a). The dust appears as dark blue against the background galaxy (NGC 3314b). Unlike interacting galaxies, the two components of NGC 3314 are physically unrelated and are too distant from one another to interact. NGC 3314a has its spiral arms and copious amounts of dust obscuring the background galaxy NGC 3314b. A dust tail can also be seen from NGC 3314a, being a sign of ram pressure stripping caused by NGC 3314a rushing through the intracluster medium of its home cluster, the Hydra Cluster. Both galaxies are members of the Hydra Cluster.
Reader's Guide
The significance of NGC 3314 lies in its unique line-of-sight alignment, which provides a natural laboratory for studying interstellar dust. The foreground galaxy's dust, seen in silhouette against the background galaxy, allows astronomers to measure dust properties that would otherwise be difficult to isolate. In a March 2000 observation, a prominent green star-like object was seen in one of the arms of one of the galaxies. Astronomers theorized that it could have been a supernova, but the unique filtering properties of the foreground galaxy made it difficult to decide definitively. Additionally, the extended dust tail from NGC 3314a, visible in legacy survey images, is evidence of ram pressure stripping as the galaxy moves through the Hydra Cluster's intracluster medium. This phenomenon helps astronomers understand how galaxies evolve in dense cluster environments. The pair's legacy is as a key example of how chance alignments can yield insights into galactic structure and interstellar matter, without the galaxies themselves being physically connected.
Did You Know?
- NGC 3314 consists of two spiral galaxies aligned along the same line of sight.
- A dust tail from NGC 3314a indicates ram pressure stripping in the Hydra Cluster.
More in NGC Objects, Part 5 1-24
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