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NGC3256: an emerging elliptical galaxy

Nature volume 310, pages 213–214 (1984)Cite this article

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.

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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
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  2. G. S. Wright
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  3. W. P. S. Meikle
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  4. R. D. Joseph
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  5. M. F. Bode
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Graham, J., Wright, G., Meikle, W. et al. NGC3256: an emerging elliptical galaxy. Nature 310, 213–214 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310213a0

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