Interacting Galaxies NGC 4725 & NGC 4747

NGC 4725
NGC 4725: Galaxy in Coma Berenices; 500 mm Cassegrain 5800mm f11.4; SBIG STL11K; 90-10-10-10 min LRGB; Bernese Highlands; © 2005 Radek Chromik [32]

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]

NGC 4712
NGC 4712: Section of the Sloan Digitized Sky Survey [147]
NGC 4747
NGC 4747: Section of the Sloan Digitized Sky Survey [147]
Revised+Historic NGC/IC Version 22/9, © 2022 Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
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 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 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 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 January to July, when it is highest at night.

Finder Chart Interacting Galaxies NGC 4725 & NGC 4747
Interacting Galaxies NGC 4725 & NGC 4747 in constellation Coma Berenices. Charts created using SkySafari 6 Pro and STScI Digitized Sky Survey. Limiting magnitudes: Constellation chart ~6.5 mag, DSS2 close-ups ~20 mag. [149, 160]

More Objects Nearby (±15°)

References