17h32m24.302s, +07° 03′ 36.97″| NGC 6384 | |
|---|---|
Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 6384
| |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Ophiuchus |
| Right ascension | 17h32m 24.302s[1] |
| Declination | +07° 03′ 36.97″[1] |
| Heliocentric radial velocity | 1,665 km/s[2] |
| Distance | 76.6 Mly (23.5 Mpc)[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SAB(r)bc[3] |
| Mass | 1.05 × 1011[3] M☉ |
| Size | 138,000 light years |
| Other designations | |
| UGC 10891 | |
NGC 6384 is an intermediate barred spiral galaxy located about 77 million light-years away in the northern part of the constellation Ophiuchus. It has a morphological classification of SAB(r)bc,[3] indicating that it is a weakly barred galaxy (SAB) with an inner ring structure (r) orbiting the bar, and moderate to loosely wound spiral arms (bc).[4] The galaxy is inclined by an angle of 47° to the line of sight, along a position angle of 40°.[5] The estimated mass of the stars in this galaxy is 105 billion times the mass of the Sun.[3]
At one time NGC 6384 was considered a normal galaxy with no activity in the nucleus. However, it is now classified as a transition object (T2), which is thought to be a LINER-type galaxy whose emission-line spectra is contaminated by H II regions in the nucleus.[6]
Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 6384. On 24 June 1971, a type Ia supernova event was discovered in this galaxy at 27″ east and 20″ north of the nucleus. It reached a peak visual magnitude of 12.85 around the end of June.[7] Designated SN 1971L, it was situated along a spiral arm, suggesting that the progenitor was not a member of the older, more evolved stellar population of the galaxy.[5] On 3 May 2017, SN 2017drh (type Ia, mag. 17.9) was discovered.[8]
