Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

NGC3256: an emerging elliptical galaxy

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Toomre, A. in Evolution of Galaxies and Stellar Populations (eds Tinsley, B. M. & Larson, R. B.) 401–426 (Yale University Observatory, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  2. de Vaucouleurs, G. & de Vaucouleurs, A. Mem. R. astr. Soc. 68, 69–87 (1961).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wright, A. E. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 167, 251–272 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Joseph, R. D., Meikle, W. P. S., Robertson, N. A. & Wright, G. S. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. (in the press).

  5. Feast, M. W. & Robertson, B. S. C. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 185, 31–46 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Telesco, C. M. & Harper, D. A. Astrophys. J. 235, 392–404 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. White, S. D. M. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. 184, 185–203 (1978).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Schweizer, F. in Internal Kinematics and Dynamics of Galaxies, IAU Symp. No. 100, 319–329 (1983).

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. Mathews, W. G. & Baker, J. C. Astrophys. J. 170, 241–259 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Rieke, G. H., Lebofsky, M. J., Thompson, R. I., Low, F. J. & Tokunaga, A. T. Astrophys. J. 238, 24–40 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. M. F. Bode

    Present address: Department of Astronomy, The University, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Astronomy Group, Physics Department, Imperial College of Science and Technology, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BZ, UK

    J. R. Graham, G. S. Wright, W. P. S. Meikle & R. D. Joseph

  2. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545, USA

    M. F. Bode

Authors
  1. J. R. Graham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. S. Wright
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. P. S. Meikle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. D. Joseph
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. F. Bode
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Graham, J., Wright, G., Meikle, W. et al. NGC3256: an emerging elliptical galaxy. Nature 310, 213–214 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310213a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310213a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation