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NGC 4378

Coordinates: Sky map 12h 25m 18.1071s, +04° 55′ 30.524″
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NGC 4378
NGC 4378 imaged by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
ConstellationVirgo
Right ascension12h 25m 18.1071s[1]
Declination+04° 55′ 30.524″[1]
Redshift0.008536±0.00001[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity2,559±3 km/s[1]
Distance136.50 ± 16.23 Mly (41.850 ± 4.975 Mpc)[1]
Group or clusterVirgo Cluster
Apparent magnitude (V)12.63[1]
Characteristics
Type(R)SA(s)a[1]
Size~131,000 ly (40.17 kpc) (estimated)[1]
Apparent size (V)2.9′ × 2.7′[1]
Other designations
VCC 785, IRAS F12227+0512, 2MASX J12251807+0455300, UGC 7497, MCG +01-32-052, PGC 40490, CGCG 042-092[1]

NGC 4378 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation of Virgo. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is 2,903±24 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 139.7 ± 9.8 Mly (42.82 ± 3.02 Mpc).[1] Also, six non-redshift measurements give a similar distance of 136.50 ± 16.23 Mly (41.850 ± 4.975 Mpc).[2] It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 2 February 1786.[3][4] It is a member of the Virgo Cluster, listed as VCC 785.

NGC 4378 is a Seyfert II galaxy, i.e. it has a quasar-like nucleus with very high surface brightnesses whose spectra reveal strong, high-ionisation emission lines, but unlike quasars, the host galaxy is clearly detectable.[5]

Supermassive black hole

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A study based on near-infrared K-band luminosity measurements of the NGC 4378 bulge gives a value of 1000000 M (108 million solar masses) for the supermassive black hole there.[6]

According to the authors of a paper published in 2012, knowledge of the mass of a central black hole and the rate of accretion by it makes it possible to estimate the rate of star formation in the central region of Seyfert-type galaxies. The rate for NGC 4378 would be between 0.059M / year and 0.56M / year, respectively, within and outside a radius of 1 kpc.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Results for object NGC 4378". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. NASA and Caltech. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  2. ^ "Distance Results for NGC 4378". NASA/IPAC EXTRAGALACTIC DATABASE. NASA. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  3. ^ Herschel, W. (1789). "Catalogue of a Second Thousand of New Nebulae and Clusters of Stars; with a Few Introductory Remarks on the Construction of the Heavens". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 79: 212–255. Bibcode:1789RSPT...79..212H. doi:10.1098/rstl.1789.0021.
  4. ^ Seligman, Courtney. "New General Catalogue Objects: NGC 4378". Celestial Atlas. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  5. ^ "NGC 4378". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  6. ^ Dong, X. Y.; De Robertis, M. M. (2006). "Low-Luminosity Active Galaxies and Their Central Black Holes". The Astronomical Journal. 131 (3): 1236–1252. Bibcode:2006AJ....131.1236D. doi:10.1086/499346.
  7. ^ Diamond-Stanic, Aleksandar M.; Rieke, George H. (2012). "The Relationship between Black Hole Growth and Star Formation in Seyfert Galaxies". The Astrophysical Journal. 746 (2): 168. Bibcode:2012ApJ...746..168D. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/746/2/168.
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