Interacting Galaxies NGC 4725 & NGC 4747
Object Description
The galaxy NGC 4725 was discovered on 6 April 1785 by William Herschel with his 18.7 inch reflecting telescope. [277] This is a Seyfert 2 galaxy of the morphological type SABab. Distance specifications range from 12 Mpc to 17.4 Mpc. [145]
That same night, Herschel discovered the smaller, irregular galaxy NGC 4747, 24 arc minutes to the northeast. Halton Arp listed NGC 4747 in his 1966 «Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies» as Arp 159 as a disturbed galaxy with internal absorption. [199] Distances to this galaxy range from 8.2 Mpc to 24.3 Mpc. [145] It is thus in close proximity to the much larger galaxy NGC 4725. The irregular shape is due to gravitational interaction. The tidal arms can be seen on long exposure images. [430]
The spiral galaxy NGC 4712 was discovered later on 28 March 1832 by John Herschel with his 18.3 inch reflecting telescope. [277] It is much further away at a distance of about 60 Mpc. [145]
| Name | RA | Dec | Type | bMag | vMag | B-V | SB | Dim | PA | z | D(z) | MD | Dreyer Description | Identification, Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 4712 | 12 49 34.1 | +25 28 11 | Gx (Sbc) | 13.3 | 12.8 | 0.5 | 13.7 | 2.3 × 0.9 | 160 | 0.014623 | 61.77 | 74.030 | vF, pL | h 1442; GC 3241=3239; UGC 7977; MCG 4-30-21; CGCG 129-25; KUG 1247+257A; IRAS 12471+2544 |
| NGC 4725 | 12 50 26.5 | +25 30 00 | Gx (SBab/P) | 10.1 | 9.4 | 0.7 | 14.0 | 10.7 × 7.6 | 35 | 0.004023 | 16.99 | 13.640 | vB, vL, E, vg, vsvmbMeBN | WH I 84; h 1451; GC 3249; UGC 7989; MCG 4-30-22; CGCG 129-27; KUG 1247+257B; IRAS 12478+2545 |
| NGC 4747 | 12 51 45.4 | +25 46 26 | Gx (SBcd) | 13.0 | 12.4 | 0.6 | 13.7 | 3.3 × 1.3 | 30 | 0.003969 | 16.76 | 12.300 | F, pL, lE | WH II 344; GC 3266=3269; UGC 8005; MCG 4-30-23; CGCG 129-28; IRAS 12492+2602; Arp 159; KUG 1249+260 |
Finder Chart
The galaxy NGC 4725 is located in the constellation Coma Berenices. The best observation time is December to July, when it is highest at night.
