NGC_4639
NGC 4639
Galaxy in the constellation Virgo
NGC 4639 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the equatorial constellation of Virgo. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on April 12, 1784. John L. E. Dreyer described it as "pretty bright, small, extended, mottled but not resolved, 12th magnitude star 1 arcmin to southeast".[7] This is a relatively nearby galaxy,[8] lying approximately 72 million light-years away from the Milky Way.[3] It is a companion to NGC 4654, and the two appear to have interacted roughly 500 million years ago.[9] NGC 4639 is a member of the Virgo Cluster.[10]
The morphological classification of this galaxy is SAB(rs)bc,[5] indicating a spiral galaxy with a weak bar (SAB), an incomplete ring around the bar (rs), and moderate to loosely-wound spiral arms (bc). NGC 4639 has a mildly active galactic nucleus of the Seyfert type 1; one of the weakest known. The compact central source has been detected by its X-ray emission, and is variable on timescales of months to years.[8] There is a supermassive black hole at the core[11] with an estimated mass of 7.9×106 M☉.[12]
Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 4639. The classical Type Ia Supernova SN 1990N was discovered in this galaxy on June 22, 1990, two weeks before reaching peak brightness.[13] It was positioned 63.2″ east and 1.8″ south of the galaxy core.[14] The brightness and proximity of this supernova event has allowed it to be used as a standard candle.[13] SN 2018imf (type IIP, mag. 15.7) was discovered on 14 November, 2018.[15]