Galaxy NGC 3310 (Arp 217)

NGC 3310 + SN 2021gmj
NGC 3310 + SN 2021gmj: Galaxy NGC 3310 with supernova SN2021gmj; 30" SlipStream-Dobson f/3.3; 20s bei ISO 25'600; Hasliberg; © 3. 4. 2021 Eduard von Bergen [29]

History

The galaxy NGC 3310 was discovered by William Herschel on 12 April 1789. It is a spiral galaxy of morphological type SA(rs)bc pec. In Halton Arp's 1966 «Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies», NGC 3310 is listed under the number Arp 217 as an example of a galaxy with an attached bow. The escape velocities measured since 2000 range from 952 km/s to 993 km/s and the distances determined from them range from 17 Mpc to 20 Mpc. [145, 196, 199]

On 20 March 2021, a type II supernova was discovered: SN2021gmj. It reached magnitude 15.1. See fig. 1. Previous known supernovae in this galaxy are: SN1991N, SN1974C. [303, 304]

Physical Properties

NGC 3310
NGC 3310: Section of the Sloan Digitized Sky Survey [147]

NGC 3310 is a well-studied starburst galaxy thought to have earlier merged with a companion. It shows various tidal formations surrounding the main disc and two large H-I tails extending north and south. [305] Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope showed a rotating disk of gas at its center, suggesting a supermassive black hole of about 5 to 42 million times the mass of the Sun. [306]

Revised+Historic NGC/IC Version 22/9, © 2022 Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
Designation NGC 3310
Type Gx (SBbc/P)
Right Ascension (J2000.0) 10h 38m 45.6s
Declination (J2000.0) +53° 30' 12"
Diameter 3.1 × 2.4 arcmin
Photographic (blue) magnitude 11.2 mag
Visual magnitude 10.8 mag
Surface brightness 12.8 mag·arcmin-2
Position Angle 156°
Redshift (z) 0.003312
Distance derived from z 13.99 Mpc
Metric Distance 18.100 Mpc
Dreyer Description cB, pL, R, vg, vsmbMN 15"
Identification, Remarks WH IV 60; h 731; GC 2158; UGC 5786; MCG 9-18-8; CGCG 267-4; IRAS 10356+5345; VV 356; VV 406; PRC D-15; Arp 217

Finder Chart

NGC 3310 is located in the constellation Ursa Maior, about 10 arc minutes south of the 5.5 mag bright star HR 4156, which on a dark night still is visible to the eye. It is circumpolar and is highest in the sky at night from November to July.

Finder Chart Galaxy NGC 3310 (Arp 217)
Galaxy NGC 3310 (Arp 217) in constellation Ursa Maior. Charts created using SkySafari 6 Pro and STScI Digitized Sky Survey. Limiting magnitudes: Constellation chart ~6.5 mag, DSS2 close-ups ~20 mag. [149, 160]

Visual Observation

762 mm aperture: Current supernova (SN2021gmj) in galaxy visually clear and well visible.

— 3. 4. 2021, Eduard von Bergen

Objects Within a Radius of 15°

References