NGC 4410

NGC 4410 consists of two galaxies in the constellation Virgo that are interacting gravitationally. The British astronomer John Herschel first spotted them in January 1828. Though they are cataloged as part of the Virgo Cluster, these galaxies are actually much farther away. They belong to the NGC 4410 group, which includes at least a dozen galaxies, a few of which are also strongly interacting with one another.

Description

The two main galaxies are NGC 4410A (PGC 40694) and NGC 4410B (PGC 40697). NGC 4410A is a peculiar spiral galaxy of type Sab, while NGC 4410B is either a lenticular or elliptical galaxy. Both have active galactic nuclei and are classified as LINER galaxies; NGC 4410A is also a low-luminosity radio galaxy. Optical images show a ring-like structure in NGC 4410A, with many H II regions along it.

X-ray emission has been detected, and bright knot features appear mainly to the southeast and northeast of its bright central nucleus. The nucleus of NGC 4410A is elongated by about 10 arcseconds from southwest to northeast. Its star formation rate is estimated at 1 to 4 solar masses per year.

The radio structure of NGC 4410A is unusual. Observations with the Very Large Array reveal it extends roughly four arcseconds, with optical radio emission across a large region.

A single compact component was seen at 6 and 2 centimeters. Other observations show at least two radio lobes that are edge-brightened, with an overall size of about 90 kiloparsecs from east to west. The radio spectrum is flat in the central region and near the knot, but becomes steep toward the southeast.

A 2008 study found complex structures inside NGC 4410A, including a small prominent H II region southeast of the nucleus and a tidal arm feature to the west and northwest. A dust lane is also present.

A spiral arm structure appears within 4 to 5 arcseconds of the central region. In NGC 4410B, axisymmetric structures run from southeast to northwest through the center, suggesting an edge-on galaxy disk. NGC 4410B also has boxy isophotes.

NGC 4410A and NGC 4410B are confirmed to be merging, and the merger includes two other galaxies: IC 790 (NGC 4410C), a lenticular galaxy, and NGC 4410D. Tidal features and bridges of emission connect them. A neutral hydrogen (H I) tail extends 50 kiloparsecs to the southeast from both galaxies.