NGC 2950
Galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major
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NGC 2950 is a lenticular galaxy in the northern constellation of Ursa Major, about 50 million light years from the Milky Way and receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 1,329 km/s.[2] It was discovered in 1790 by the Anglo-German astronomer William Herschel.[5] NGC 2950 is a field galaxy, it is not part of a galaxy cluster or galaxy group, and thus is gravitationally isolated.[6] Nine certain and four possible dwarf galaxies have been identified around NGC 2950.[7]
| NGC 2950 | |
|---|---|
SDSS image of NGC 2950 (center) | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Ursa Major |
| Right ascension | 09h 42m 35.116s[1] |
| Declination | 58° 51′ 04.39″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.004410 ± 0.000017 |
| Heliocentric radial velocity | 1,329[2] km/s |
| Distance | 49.84 ± 0.46 Mly (15.28 ± 0.14 Mpc)[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (B) | 11.93[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | RSB0(r)[3] |
| Apparent size (V) | 2′.7 × 1′.8[3] |
| Other designations | |
| NGC 2950, UGC 5176, PGC 27765[4] | |
The morphological classification of this galaxy is RSB0(r),[3] indicating a barred lenticular galaxy (SB0) with outer (R) and inner (r) ring structures. It hosts two nested stellar bars; the rotation frequency of the secondary bar is higher than that of the primary one.[3] Double bars of this type are relatively common, having been found in ~30% of barred lenticulars. The inner bar appears to be counter-rotating relative to the outer bar,[8] with the two passing cleanly through each other.[9] The stellar mass of the galaxy is 1.7×1010 M☉ while the halo mass is 6.6×1011 M☉.[7]
