NGC 4246
Spiral galaxy NGC 4246
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Virgo
Right ascension	12h 17m 58.1131s[1]
Declination	+07° 11′ 09.376″[1]
Redshift	0.012405[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity	3719 ± 2 km/s[1]
Distance	172.01 ± 10.57 Mly (52.74 ± 3.241 Mpc)[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	12.7[1]
Characteristics
Type	SA(s)c[1]
Size	~133,600 ly (40.97 kpc) (estimated)[1]
Apparent size (V)	2.3′ × 1.2′[1]
Other designations
HOLM 359B, 2MASX J12175811+0711091, IC 3113, UGC 7334, MCG +01-31-041, PGC 39479, CGCG 041-070[1]

NGC 4246 is an unbarred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Virgo. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is 4064 ± 24 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 195.5 ± 13.7 Mly (59.94 ± 4.21 Mpc).^[1] However, 20 non-redshift measurements give a distance of 172.01 ± 10.57 Mly (52.740 ± 3.241 Mpc).^[2] It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 13 April 1784.^[3] It was also observed by German astronomer Arnold Schwassmann on 30 October 1899 and listed in the Index Catalogue as IC 3113.^[3]

According to the SIMBAD database, NGC 4246 is a LINER galaxy, i.e. a galaxy whose nucleus has an emission spectrum characterized by broad lines of weakly ionized atoms.^[4]

NGC 4246 along with NGC 4235 [fr] and NGC 4247 [fr] are listed together as Holm 359 in Erik Holmberg's A Study of Double and Multiple Galaxies Together with Inquiries into some General Metagalactic Problems, published in 1937.^[5]

Supernovae

Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 4246:

• SN 1975C (type unknown, mag. 18) was discovered by American astronomer Charles Kowal on 15 March 1975.^[6][7]
• SN 1984U (type unknown, mag. 18) was discovered by L. E. Gonzalez at the Cerro El Roble Observatory on 2 March 1984.^[8][9]

See also

• List of NGC objects (4001–5000)

References

External links

• Media related to NGC 4246 at Wikimedia Commons
• NGC 4246 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images