NGC 3628, also known as the Hamburger Galaxy or Sarah's Galaxy, is an unbarred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Leo, approximately 35 million light-years from Earth. It is one of the members of the Leo Triplet (Leo Galaxy Group). A dark dust lane cuts across this magnificent cosmic island, strongly suggesting that NGC 3628 is a spiral galaxy seen edge-on.Discovered in 1784 by British astronomer William Herschel, NGC 3628 lies in the northern sky in the springtime constellation of Leo. Along with the spiral galaxies M65 and M66, it forms the Leo Triplet. This galaxy is also classified as a radio galaxy. Because NGC 3628's nucleus appears X-shaped in images across many bands, some astronomers have proposed that it is actually a barred spiral galaxy with only one end facing Earth. Computer simulations show that the bar-shaped structures of disk galaxies can form during gravitational interactions and mergers with other galaxies, and NGC 3628 is currently interacting with two other large neighboring galaxies.Here are some additional details about NGC 3628:
- Apparent magnitude: 10.7
- Diameter: 100,000 light-years
- Morphological type: SA(s)0- pec
- Redshift: 0.00367
- Hubble classification: SAB(s)0/a
NGC 3628 is a fascinating object for astronomers studying the structure and evolution of galaxies. Its edge-on orientation provides a unique perspective for studying the galaxy's spiral arms, dust lanes, and central bulge. The galaxy's interactions with its neighbors also provide insights into the processes that can shape galaxies over time.
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