NGC 4477 facts for kids
Imagine a giant spinning city of stars far, far away! That's NGC 4477, a special type of galaxy known as a barred lenticular galaxy. It shines brightly in the Coma Berenices constellation, which is a group of stars that look like they form a shape in our night sky. This amazing galaxy is located incredibly far from us, about 55 million light-years away!
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What is NGC 4477?
NGC 4477 is a fascinating example of a galaxy that has features of both spiral and elliptical galaxies. It's like a cosmic blend!
Lenticular Galaxies Explained
A lenticular galaxy is shaped a bit like a lens or a disc, but it doesn't have the clear spiral arms that many galaxies do. Think of it like a flattened ball of stars. These galaxies are often older and have less gas and dust than spiral galaxies, which means they don't form as many new stars.
Barred Galaxies Explained
NGC 4477 is also a barred galaxy. This means it has a straight bar-shaped structure made of stars that goes through its center. From the ends of this bar, the galaxy's main disc extends outwards. Many galaxies, including our own Milky Way, have these bars! Scientists believe these bars help funnel gas and dust towards the galaxy's center, which can sometimes kickstart new star formation there.
Where is NGC 4477 Located?
This distant galaxy is found in a specific part of our sky and is part of a much larger group of galaxies.
The Coma Berenices Constellation
NGC 4477 is located in the Coma Berenices constellation. This constellation is named after the hair of Queen Berenice II of Egypt. It's a faint constellation, but it's home to many interesting objects, including several galaxies. Looking towards Coma Berenices from Earth, we are looking out into deep space where NGC 4477 resides.
Measuring Cosmic Distances
When we say NGC 4477 is 55 million light-years away, what does that mean? A light-year is the distance light travels in one year. Light moves incredibly fast, about 300,000 kilometers (186,000 miles) per second! So, 55 million light-years is an enormous distance. It also means that the light we see from NGC 4477 today actually left the galaxy 55 million years ago. We are seeing it as it was in the distant past!
Part of the Virgo Cluster
NGC 4477 is also a member of the Virgo Cluster. This is a massive group of galaxies, one of the closest large galaxy clusters to our own Local Group (which includes the Milky Way). The Virgo Cluster contains over 1,300 galaxies, and NGC 4477 is one of them, making it part of a huge cosmic neighborhood!
Who Discovered NGC 4477?
NGC 4477 was discovered on April 12, 1784, by a famous astronomer named William Herschel. Herschel was a German-born British astronomer who discovered many celestial objects, including the planet Uranus. His work greatly expanded our understanding of the universe.
Images for kids
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Image of the central region of the Virgo cluster of galaxies. NGC 4477 is at the edge of the upper-left central portion of the image.
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NGC 4477 (SDSS DR14)
