- Hickson Compact Group
A Hickson Compact Group (abberviation: HCG) is a collection of
galaxies designated as published byPaul Hickson in1982 .cite journal
author=Hickson, Paul
title=Systematic properties of compact groups of galaxies
journal=Astrophysical Journal
year=1982
volume=255
pages=382–391
url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1982ApJ...255..382H
doi=10.1086/159838 ]The most famous group on Hickson’s list of 100 objects is HCG 92,
Stephan's Quintet .According to Hickson: “Most compact groups contain a high fraction of galaxies having morphological or kinematical peculiarities, nuclear radio and
infrared emission, andstarburst oractive galactic nuclei (AGN) activity. They contain large quantities of diffuse gas and are dynamically dominated bydark matter . They most likely form as subsystems within looser associations and evolve by gravitational processes. Strong galaxy interactions result and merging is expected to lead to the ultimate demise of the group. Compact groups are surprisingly numerous, and may play a significant role in galaxy evolution.”cite web
title=Compact Groups of Galaxies
url=http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept01/Hickson/Hickson_contents.html
accessdate=2006-10-23]References
ee also
*
Abell catalogue
*Catalogue of Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies
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