NGC 1266
| NGC 1266 | |
|---|---|
| 250px
Hubble image of NGC 1266
|
|
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Eridanus |
| Right ascension | 03h 16m 00.7s[1] |
| Declination | −02° 25′ 38″[1] |
| Redshift | 0.007238 ± 0.000017[2] |
| Helio radial velocity | 2170 ± 5 km s-1[2] |
| Distance (comoving) | 29.9 Mpc[2] |
| Type | S0[2] |
| Notable features | AGN, molecular outflow, suppressed SFR |
| Other designations | |
| PGC 12131 | |
NGC 1266 is an lenticular galaxy in the constellation Eridanus. Although not currently starbursting, it has undergone a period of intense star formation in the recent past, ceasing only ≈500 Myr ago.[3] The galaxy is host to an obscured AGN.[4]
A massive molecular outflow, with 2.4 × 107 MFailed to parse (Missing <code>texvc</code> executable. Please see math/README to configure.): _{\odot} of hydrogen, is present from the nucleus of the galaxy,[4] at a rate of 110 MFailed to parse (Missing <code>texvc</code> executable. Please see math/README to configure.): _{\odot} yr-1.[5] Less than 2% of the gas (2 MFailed to parse (Missing <code>texvc</code> executable. Please see math/README to configure.): _{\odot} yr-1) is escaping the galaxy. Momentum coupling to the jet of the AGN is likely driving the outflow.[5]
The current observed star-formation rate (SFR) of ~0.87 MFailed to parse (Missing <code>texvc</code> executable. Please see math/README to configure.): _{\odot} yr-1 is significantly lower than expected for a galaxy of its properties, suppressed by a factor of 50 to 150. Authors have put forth several hypotheses to explain these observations. The most likely scenario is that the AGN-driven molecular outflow is is injecting turbulence into the nuclear regions, preventing gravitational collapse of molecular clouds.[5] NGC 1266 is the first known intermediate-mass galaxy to show AGN-driven suppression of star formation.
Two hypotheses exist to explain NGC 1266's nuclear activity and excessive far-IR emission. Either a heavily obscured ultracompact starburst is present in the nuclear regions, or a powerful buried AGN is present, beyond what has been inferred from other observations. Neither scenario is without problems. The black hole at the center of the galaxy is likely growing according to the M–sigma relation, and eventually the outflow will result in the removal of the majority of the gas from the nucleus.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to [[commons:Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 506: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).|Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 506: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).]]. |
- NGC 1266 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
