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| Classification: |
Sprial Galaxy, NGC3166 NGC 3169 / H4-1 / UGC5525 |
| Constellation: |
Sextans (SEX) |
| Object Location: |
Ra 10h 15m 03s Dec +03° 23’17” (current) |
| Size & Distance: |
Size & Distance 3166- 4.8 x 2.3, mag 10.5 Apx 62 Million light years. 3169- 4.7x2.5, mag 11 Apx 75 Million light years. |
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| Date & Location: |
Date & Location 04-18-2015, Reprocessed 3-2022. Little Blair Valley, CA. |
| Exposure: |
LRGB; 120, 45, 45, 45, All 15min. (bin 1x1) |
| Optics: |
Telescope Engineering Company APO180FL w/TEC FF@ f/7.2 / FLI-Atlas focuser / F/L 1296mm. |
| Mount: |
Astro-Physics 1200 GTO / ATS 10x36 pier. |
| Camera: |
FLI-MLx694 @-25c / CFW1-8 / FLI-Atlas focuser / Guided by SBIG ST-I / w OAG. |
| Filters: |
Astrodon G2 LRGB |
| Software: |
MaxImDL 6.11, Photoshop CC, CCDStack 2.82, Topaz Studio. |
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| Notes: |
Sky conditions: Very poor seeing, Light wind, Temp low 60’s
Cropped Image Field of view is 31 x 22.5 arcmin.
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NGC 3169 is a spiral galaxy about 75 million light years away in the constellation Sextans. It has the morphological classification SA(s)a pec, which indicates this is a pure, unbarred spiral galaxy with tightly-wound arms and peculiar features. There is an asymmetrical spiral arm and an extended halo around the galaxy.
NGC 3169 is located in close physical proximity to NGC 3166, and the two have an estimated separation of around 160 kly (50 kpc). Their interaction is creating a gravitational distortion that has left the disk of NGC 3166 warped. Combined with NGC 3156, ( not in FOV) the three galaxies form a small group within the larger Leo 1 group. The three are embedded within an extended ring of neutral hydrogen that is centered on NGC 3169.
This is a LINER 2 galaxy that displays an extended emission of X-rays in the region of the nucleus.. A hard X-ray source at the center most likely indicates an active galactic nucleus.. The stellar population in the nucleus, and a ring at an angular radius of 6", shows an age of only one billion years and is generally younger than the surrounding stellar population. This suggests that a burst of star formation took place in the nucleus roughly one billion years ago.
In 1984, a Type II-L supernova was discovered in this galaxy. Designated 1984E. A second supernova was discovered in 2003; this time of type 1a. It was designated SN 2003 cg and reached peak magnitude 15.94.
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