NGC 4473

NGC 4473 is an elliptical galaxy located about 50 million light-years away in the constellation of Coma Berenices. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 8, 1784. NGC 4473 has an inclination of about 71°. NGC 4473 is a member of a chain of galaxies called Markarian's Chain which is part of the larger Virgo Cluster of galaxies.

Components

NGC 4473 has an estimated population of 376 ± 97 globular clusters. These clusters may have formed from the result of multiple minor mergers that helped form the outer regions of the galaxy. Beside this, NGC 4473 has two counter-rotating stellar discs embedded in the inner regions of the galaxy. They may have formed by either the accretion of gas from outside the galaxy or the mergers of gas-rich galaxies.

Supermassive black hole

Using the HST and spectroscopic data from the ground to measure the motions of stars in the center of NGC 4473, Douglas Richstone and colleagues at the University of Michigan have concluded that the galaxy has a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass of roughly 100 million solar masses. Its diameter is estimated to be around 4.459 AU.