NGC 4513

NGC 4513 is a lenticular galaxy and a ring galaxy located about 110 million light-years away in the constellation Draco. It was discovered by astronomer Heinrich [Louis d'Arrest|Heinrich d'Arrest] on October 16, 1866.

Physical characteristics

NGC 4513 has a large and very faint ring that is quite separated from the main galactic disk. The disk is gaseous and counter-rotates with respect to the inner disc. The outer part of the inner disc exhibits a population of counter-rotating stars that may be related to the outer ring. The observed counter-rotation suggests that the ring resulted from the accretion of gas from the passage of another galaxy. However, Ilyina et al. proposed that the ring is the result of a satellite galaxy vertically impacting onto the central part of NGC 4513 as the ring is bright in UV and is symmetric.

Group Membership

NGC 4513 is a member of the NGC 4256 Group which lies in the upper plane of the Virgo Supercluster.