Reticulum
03h18m 15.4s [1]
−66° 29′ 50″ [1]
0.001568 [1]
Characteristics
SB(s)d[1]
Apparent size (V)
Other designations
Topsy Turvy Galaxy, PGC 12286, ESO 082- G 011
NGC 1313 (also known as the Topsy Turvy Galaxy[2]) is a field galaxy[3] and a irregular galaxy[4] discovered by the Scottish astronomer James Dunlop on 27 September 1826.[5] It has a diameter of about 50,000 light-years, or about half the size of the Milky Way.[6]
NGC 1313 lies within the Virgo Supercluster.[7]
In 2007, a rare WO star was discovered in NGC 1313,[8] currently known by its only designation of [HC2007] 31. It is of spectral type WO3.[8] The derived absolute magnitude is about -5,[8] which is very high for a single WO star. (WOs usually have absolute magnitudes of about -1 to -4) This means that the WO is likely part of a binary or a small stellar association.[8]
Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 2841: SN 1962M (type II, mag. 11.7),[9] and SN 1978K (type II, mag. 16).[10]
NGC 1313 has a strikingly uneven shape and its axis of rotation is not exactly in its centre.[11] NGC 1313 also shows strong starburst activity[12] and associated supershells.[13] NGC 1313 is dominated by scattered patches of intense star formation, which gives the galaxy a rather ragged appearance.[14] The uneven shape, the ragged appearance and the strong starburst can all be explained by a galactic collision in the past.[15] However, NGC 1313 seems to be an isolated galaxy and has no direct neighbours. Therefore, it is not clear whether it has swallowed a small companion in its past.[2]
Young, blue stars are scattered across the galaxy.[16] This is evidence of infant mortality in which the young open clusters quickly became gravitationally "unglued", scattering their resident stars into the galaxy.[17] The galaxy bears some resemblance to the Magellanic Clouds[18] and hosts two ultraluminous X-ray sources, called NGC 1313 X-1 and X-2.[19] The former is a rare intermediate-mass black hole.[20][21]
Media related to NGC 1313 at Wikimedia Commons
Other
