Sculptor Group

group of galaxies

The Sculptor Group is a loose group of galaxies.[1][2] It is visible near the south galactic pole.[3] The group is one of the nearest groups of galaxies to the Local Group; the distance to the center of the Sculptor Group from the Milky Way is about 12.7 million light years.[2]

The Sculptor galaxy (NGC 253) is a galaxy located in the center of the Sculptor group.

The Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253) and a few other galaxies form a gravitationally-bound core in the center of this group. A few other galaxies at the edges may be connected with the group but may not be gravitationally bound. Because most of the galaxies in this group are actually weakly gravitationally bound, the group may also be described as a filament.[1][2] It is believed to be at an early stage of evolution in which galaxies are still falling into the group along filamentary structures.[4]

References change

  1. 1.0 1.1 I. D. Karachentsev; E. K. Grebel; M. E. Sharina; A. E. Dolphin; D. Geisler; P. Guhathakrta; P. W. Hodge; V. E. Karachentseva; A. Sarajedini; P. Seitzer (2003). "Distances to nearby galaxies in Sculptor". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 404 (1): 93–111. arXiv:astro-ph/0302045. Bibcode:2003A&A...404...93K. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20030170. S2CID 54977869.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 I. D. Karachentsev (2005). "The Local Group and Other Neighboring Galaxy Groups". Astronomical Journal. 129 (1): 178–188. arXiv:astro-ph/0410065. Bibcode:2005AJ....129..178K. doi:10.1086/426368. S2CID 119385141.
  3. "NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database". Results for NGC 253, identified as the core of the Sculptor Group. Retrieved 2006-11-25.
  4. Lianou, S.; et al. (February 2013), "Population gradients and photometric metallicities in early- and transition-type dwarf galaxies: Clues from the Sculptor group", Astronomy & Astrophysics, 550: A7, arXiv:1211.3170, Bibcode:2013A&A...550A...7L, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219959, S2CID 119240639.