NGC 4261

NGC 4261
A X-ray image of NGC 4261.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Virgo
Right ascension	12h 19m 23.2s[1]
Declination	+05° 49′ 31″[1]
Redshift	0.007465[1]
Helio radial velocity	2238 ± 7 km/s[1]
Distance	96 ± 8 Mly (29.4 ± 2.6 Mpc)[2]
Type	E2-3[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)	4′.1 × 3′.6[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	11.4[1]
Other designations
UGC 7360,[1] PGC 39659[1]
See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies

NGC 4261 is an elliptical galaxy located behind the Virgo Cluster in the W-cloud.^[3]

The active galactic nucleus (AGN) contains a 400 million solar mass supermassive black hole (SMBH)^[4] with a 800 light-year-wide spiral-shaped disk of dust fueling it.^[5]

The galaxy is estimated to be about 60 thousand light-years across,^[6] and the jet is estimated to span about 88 thousand light-years.^[7]

A Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image of the gas and dust disk in the active galactic nucleus of NGC 4261. Credit: HST/NASA/ESA.

See also

• NGC 4125 - a similar elliptical galaxy

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 4261. http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/nph-objsearch?objname=NGC+4261&img_stamp=yes&extend=no. Retrieved 2007-03-30. 
2. ^ Jensen, Joseph B.; Tonry, John L.; Barris, Brian J.; Thompson, Rodger I.; Liu, Michael C.; Rieke, Marcia J.; Ajhar, Edward A.; Blakeslee, John P. (February 2003). "Measuring Distances and Probing the Unresolved Stellar Populations of Galaxies Using Infrared Surface Brightness Fluctuations". Astrophysical Journal 583 (2): 712–726. arXiv:astro-ph/0210129. Bibcode 2003ApJ...583..712J. doi:10.1086/345430. 
3. ^ Davis, David S.; Mushotzky; Mulchaey; Worrall; Birkinshaw; Burstein (1995). "Diffuse hot gas in the NGC 4261 group of galaxies". Astrophysical Journal 444 (2): 582–589. Bibcode 1995ApJ...444..582D. doi:10.1086/175632. 
4. ^ "Massive Black Holes Dwell in Most Galaxies, According to Hubble Census". Hubblesite STScI-1997-01. 1997-01-13. http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1997/01/text/. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
5. ^ "Hubble Finds a New Black Hole - and Unexpected New Mysteries". Hubblesite STScI-1995-47. 1995-12-04. http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1995/47/text/. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
6. ^ "The Virgo Cluster". An Atlas of the Universe. http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/galgrps/vir.html. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
7. ^ "The Giant Elliptical Galaxy NGC 4261". Astronomy 162 (Dept. Physics & Astronomy University of Tennessee). http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/active/ngc4261.html. Retrieved 2010-05-02.