Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Ursa Major (UMa)  ·  Contains:  M 108  ·  NGC 3556
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M-108 in Ursa Major, Andre van Zegveld
M-108 in Ursa Major
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M-108 in Ursa Major

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M-108 in Ursa Major, Andre van Zegveld
M-108 in Ursa Major
Powered byPixInsight

M-108 in Ursa Major

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M-108 in Ursa Major

Messier 108 (also known as NGC 3556) is a barred spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 or 1782. From any perspective from the Milky Way, this galaxy is seen almost edge-on.

This galaxy is an isolated member of the Ursa Major Cluster of galaxies in the local supercluster. It has a morphological classification of type SBbc in the de Vaucouleurs system, which means it is a barred spiral galaxy with somewhat loosely wound arms. The maximum angular size of the galaxy in the optical band is 11′.1 × 4′.6, and it is inclined 75° to the line of sight.

This galaxy has an estimated mass of 125 billion solar masses (M☉) and bears about 290 ± 80 globular clusters. Examination of the distribution of neutral hydrogen in this galaxy shows discrete shells of expanding gas extending for several kiloparsecs, known as H1 supershells. These may be driven by currents of dark matter, dust and gas contributing to large star formation, having caused supernovae explosions. Alternatively they may result from an infall from the intergalactic medium or arise from radio jets.

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M-108 in Ursa Major, Andre van Zegveld