NGC 4981

ConstellationVirgo

Right ascension13^h 08^m 48.7580^s[1]

Declination−06° 46′ 38.938″^[1]

Redshift0.005597±0.000005^[1]

NGC 4981
NGC 4981 imaged by ESO's Very Large Telescope
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Virgo
Right ascension	13h 08m 48.7580s[1]
Declination	−06° 46′ 38.938″[1]
Redshift	0.005597±0.000005[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity	1,678±1 km/s[1]
Distance	72.99 ± 2.10 Mly (22.380 ± 0.645 Mpc)[1]
Group or cluster	NGC 4995 group (LGG 333)
Apparent magnitude (V)	12.10[1]
Characteristics
Type	SAB(r)bc[1]
Size	~66,500 ly (20.38 kpc) (estimated)[1]
Apparent size (V)	2.8′ × 2.0′[1]
Other designations
IRAS 13062-0630, 2MASX J13084873-0646392, MCG -01-34-003, PGC 45574[1]

NGC 4981 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Virgo. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is 2,002±23 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 96.3 ± 6.8 Mly (29.54 ± 2.09 Mpc).^[1] However, 20 non-redshift measurements give a closer distance of 72.99 ± 2.10 Mly (22.380 ± 0.645 Mpc).^[2] It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 17 April 1784.^[3][4]

NGC 4981 is a LINER galaxy, i.e. a galaxy whose nucleus has an emission spectrum characterized by broad lines of weakly ionized atoms.^[1]