NGC 4216 | |
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Observation data ( J2000 epoch) | |
Constellation | Virgo |
Right ascension | 12h 15m 54.4s [1] |
Declination | +13° 08′ 58″ [1] |
Redshift | 131 ± 4 km/ s [1] |
Distance | 55 Mly [2] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 11.0 [1] |
Characteristics | |
Type | SAB(s)b [1] |
Apparent size (V) | 8.1′ × 1.8′ [1] |
Other designations | |
UGC 7284, [1] PGC 39246, VCC 167 [1] |
NGC 4216 is a metal-rich [2] intermediate spiral galaxy located not far from the center of the Virgo Cluster [2] of galaxies, roughly 55 million light-years away. [2] It is seen nearly edge-on.
NGC 4216 is one of the largest and brightest spiral galaxies of the Virgo Cluster, with an absolute magnitude that has been estimated to be −22 (i.e.: brighter than the Andromeda Galaxy), [3] and like most spiral galaxies of this cluster shows a deficiency of neutral hydrogen that is concentrated within the galaxy's optical disk and has a low surface density for a galaxy of its type. [4] This explains why NGC 4216 is considered an anemic galaxy by some authors, also with a low star formation activity for a galaxy of its type. [5] In fact, the galaxy's disk shows pillar-like structures that may have been caused by interactions with the intracluster medium of Virgo and/or with nearby galaxies. [6]
In NGC 4216's halo, besides a rich system of globular clusters estimated to number around 700 (nearly five times more than the Milky Way), [3] two stellar streams that are interpreted as two satellite galaxies being disrupted and absorbed by this galaxy are present. [6]
NGC 4216 seems to be in a place of the Virgo cluster where dwarf galaxies are being destroyed/accreted at a high rate, with it suffering many interactions with these type of galaxies. [7]
One supernova has been observed in NGC 4216: SN 2024gy ( type Ia, mag. 16.3). [8]