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- Title
NGC3256: an emerging elliptical galaxy.
- Authors
Graham, J. R.; Wright, G. S.; Meikle, W. P. S.; Joseph, R. D.; Bode, M. F.
- Abstract
NGC3256 is a spectacular peculiar galaxy, with a highly chaotic nuclear region consisting of several bright knots. Two diffuse tidal tails are visible evidence of violent past history. The galaxy has been classified on the basis of this tidal damage as the remnant of two colliding galaxies in the final throes of merging1. The galaxy is highly luminous, with MB = −22.6, as well as being a bright, narrow emission-line galaxy2. At radio wavelengths, NGC3256 is one of the brightest in Wright's survey3 of interacting galaxies. We have discovered bright and exceptionally extended 10-μm emission that is evidence for an extremely luminous starburst extending over several kiloparsecs, which will leave the system severely gas-depleted. This depletion, in combination with the violent stellar relaxation which accompanies galaxy mergers, suggests that NGC3256 will become an elliptical galaxy.
- Publication
Nature, 1984, Vol 310, Issue 5974, p213
- ISSN
0028-0836
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/310213a0