NGC 3583
Barred spiral galaxy in Ursa Major with two observed supernovae.
NGC 3583 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. It lies approximately 90 million light years from Earth and spans about 85,000 light years across. Discovered by William Herschel on February 5, 1788, it is the foremost galaxy in the NGC 3583 galaxy group.
Quick Facts
- Epoch
- J2000
- Ra
- 11 · 14 · 10.9
- Dec
- 48 · 19 · 07
- Dist Ly
- 90.5 ± 10.2 Mly (27.7 ± 3.1 Mpc)
- Z
- 0.007022 ± 0.000010
- H Radial V
- 2,105 ± 3 km/s
- Appmag V
- 11.2
- Constellation Name
- Ursa Major
- Names
- UGC 6263, MCG +08-21-008, PGC 34232, 5C 02.203
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
NGC 3583 has a bright nucleus and an elliptical bulge, with a prominent bar about 30 arcseconds long. The spiral arms begin approximately at the radius of the bar's end. One arm emanates from the northwest edge of the bulge; it is quite diffuse at its start but becomes better defined after passing near the bar, then fades after reaching the southeast part of the galaxy. The other arm emanates from the southeast end of the bar and appears to branch after passing the other side of the bar, with the two branches running parallelly. The galaxy contains many HII regions, and its star formation rate based on infrared luminosity is 9.8 per year.
Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 3583: SN 1975P (type unknown, magnitude 15) discovered by Charles Kowal on December 1, 1975, and ASASSN-15so (Type Ia, magnitude 15.1) discovered by ASAS-SN on November 8, 2015, about 10 days before maximum light.
NGC 3583 is the foremost galaxy in the NGC 3583 galaxy group, which also includes NGC 3595. Farther away lies NGC 3614 and its group. NGC 3583 forms a pair with a small elliptical galaxy located 0.9 arcminutes away, and the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3577 lies at a projected distance of 5 arcminutes.
Reader's Guide
NGC 3583 is notable as the leading member of its own galaxy group, providing a reference point for studying group dynamics and interactions. Its well-defined bar and spiral structure, along with numerous HII regions, make it a useful object for examining star formation processes in barred spirals. The galaxy's star formation rate of 9.8 solar masses per year, derived from infrared luminosity, indicates ongoing active star formation. The two recorded supernovae—one of unknown type and one Type Ia—offer opportunities for studying stellar explosions in a relatively nearby galaxy. Its pairing with a small elliptical galaxy and proximity to NGC 3577 add context for understanding gravitational interactions and their effects on galactic morphology. As a discovery by William Herschel, it is part of the historic NGC catalog, contributing to the legacy of deep-sky observation.
More in NGC Objects, Part 6 1-24
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