NGC 2770
NGC 2770 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Lynx, near the northern constellation border with Cancer. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on December 7, 1785. J. L. E. Dreyer described it as, "faint, large, much extended 150°, mottled but not resolved, 2 stars to north". NGC 2770 was the target for the first binocular image produced by the Large Binocular Telescope.
The morphological classification of SBc indicates a barred spiral with moderately-wound arms. The physical properties of this galaxy are similar to those of the Milky Way. The combined mass of stars in the galaxy is estimated at, and it has a star formation rate of y−1. There are no apparent perturbations of the galaxy due to suspected interaction with the companion galaxy, NGC 2770B.
Supernovae
Four supernovae have been observed in NGC 2770:- SN 1999eh was discovered by Mark Armstrong on 12 October 1999.
- SN 2007uy was discovered by Yoji Hirose on 31 December 2007.
- SN 2008D was discovered by NASA's Swift X-ray telescope on 9 January 2008, while observing SN 2007uy. It was the first supernova detected by the X-rays released very early on in its formation, rather than by the optical light emitted during the later stages, which allowed the first moments of the outburst to be observed. It is possible that NGC 2770's interactions with a suspected companion galaxy may have created the massive stars causing this activity.
- SN 2015bh was discovered by the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey and Stan Howerton on 7 February 2015, and was either a Type II supernova or the hyper-eruption of a luminous blue variable.