| IC 2006 | |
|---|---|
IC 2006, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope
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| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Eridanus |
| Right ascension | 03h54m 28.427s[1] |
| Declination | −35° 58′ 01.75″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.004610[2] |
| Heliocentric radial velocity | 1382[2] |
| Distance | 65.36 ± 0.46 Mly (20.04 ± 0.14 Mpc)[3] |
| Grouporcluster | Fornax Cluster[3] |
| Apparent magnitude (B) | 12.39[4] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | E1[5] |
| Size | 35 000 light-years in diameter |
| Apparent size (V) | 2.1′ × 1.8′[2] |
| Notable features | Early-type galaxy |
| Other designations | |
| AM 0532-360, MGC-06-09-037, PGC 14077 | |
IC 2006 is an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Eridanus. The galaxy was discovered on 3 October 1897 by the American astronomer Lewis A. Swift.[6] It is estimated to be around 60 to 70 million light years (20megaparsecs) away,[2] in the Fornax Cluster.[3] The galaxy is one of the smaller in the Fornax cluster, with a diameter of only 35 000 light-years.
IC 2006 is an early-type galaxy with a Hubble classification of E1,[5] but has also been listed as a lenticular galaxy with a morphological type of SA0−.[2] Despite their name, early-type galaxies are much older than spiral galaxies, and mostly comprise old, red-colored stars. Very little star formation occurs in these galaxies; the lack of star formation in elliptical galaxies appears to start at the center and then slowly propagates outward.[7] Its age is estimated to be 8.1 ± 1.7 billion years.[8]
An image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2015 shows a characteristically smooth profile, with no spiral arms.[9] However, IC 2006 has a ring surrounding it. The ring appears to rotate in a direction opposite to the rest of the body, but this may be explained by a polar ring with an elliptical shape.[10]
Media related to IC 2006 at Wikimedia Commons
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