| NGC 3628 | |
|---|---|
close up of NGC 3628
| |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Leo |
| Right ascension | 11h20m 17.0s[1] |
| Declination | +13° 35′ 23″[1] |
| Redshift | 843 ± 1 km/s[1] |
| Distance | 35 Mly (11 Mpc)[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.5[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SAb pec[1] |
| Apparent size (V) | 14′ × 3.6′[2] |
| Notable features | Galaxy in the Leo Triplet |
| Other designations | |
| UGC 6350, PGC 34697, VV 308b[1] | |
NGC 3628, also known as the Hamburger Galaxy[3]orSarah's Galaxy,[4][5][6][7][8] is an unbarred spiral galaxy about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784. It has an approximately 300,000 light-years long tidal tail. Along with M65 and M66, NGC 3628 forms the Leo Triplet, a small group of galaxies. Its most conspicuous feature is the broad and obscuring band of dust located along the outer edge of its spiral arms, effectively transecting the galaxy to the view from Earth.
Due to the presence of an x-shaped bulge,[9] visible in multiple wavelengths, it has been argued that NGC 3628 is instead a barred spiral galaxy with the bar seen end-on.[10] Simulations have shown that bars often form in disk galaxies during interactions and mergers, and NGC 3628 is known to be interacting with its two large neighbors.
The name "Hamburger Galaxy" is a reference to its shape resembling a hamburger, while the name "Sarah's Galaxy" is thought to refer to poet Sarah Williams (1837–1868),[11] most famous for the poem "The Old Astronomer:"
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too truly to be fearful of the night.[12]
Media related to NGC 3628 at Wikimedia Commons
