Abstract
SEVERAL elliptical and spheroidal galaxies have been shown, in recent years, to possess kinematically distinct subsystems. These may be in the form of a central stellar component whose rotation is not aligned with the rest of the galaxy1,2, or of a gaseous disk, often at large radius, which is kinematically distinct from the main stellar component3,4. A more unusual case is that of a counter-rotating gaseous component (with some associated stellar absorption) in the inner region of the flattened elliptical NGC45505. All these cases are presumed to be signatures of violently interacting systems, which are the result of galaxy mergers or captures, as in NGC72526,7. Here we report the discovery of two counter-rotating gaseous disks in the otherwise normal early-type spiral (Sab(s)II; ref. 8) NGC4826. This is the most disk-like galaxy in which any kinematic substructure has yet been found, and our discovery raises the possibility, already suggested by Schweizer7, that even spiral galaxies may have undergone a significant degree of structural evolution due to mergers.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Franx, M., Illingworth, G. & Heckman, T. Astrophys. J. 344, 613–636 (1989).
Bender, R. in Dynamics and Interactions of Galaxies (ed. Wielen, R.) 232–243 (Springer, Berlin, 1990).
Schweizer, F., Van Gorkom, J. H. & Seitzer, P. Astrophys. J. 338, 770–788 (1989).
Bertola, F., Bettoni, D., Buson, L. M. & Zeilinger, W. W. in Dynamics and Interactions of Galaxies (ed. Wielen, R.) 249–252 (Springer, Berlin, 1990).
Rubin, V. C., Graham, J. A. & Kenney, J. D. Astrophys. J. 394, L9–12 (1992).
Schweizer, F. Astrophys. J. 252, 455–460 (1982).
Schweizer, F. in Physics of Nearby Galaxies: Nature or Nurture? (eds Thuan, Balkowski & Tran Thanh Van) (in the press).
Sandage, A. & Tammann, G. A Revised Shapley-Ames Catalog of Bright Galaxies (Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1981).
de Vaucouleurs, G. in Galaxies and the Universe (eds. Sandage, A., Sandage, M. & Kristian, J.) 557–600 (Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1975).
Thompson, A. R., Clark, B. G., Wade, C. M. & Napier, P. J. Astrophys. J. Suppl. Ser. 44, 151–167 (1980).
Van Driel, W. & Buta, R. J. Astr. Astrophys. 245, 7–26 (1991).
Rubin, V. C., Burbidge, E. M., Burbidge, G. R. & Prendergast, K. H. Astrophys. J. 141, 885–891 (1965).
Walker, M. F. Publ. astr. Soc. Pac. 101, 333–350 (1989).
Sage, L. J. & Isbell, D. W. Astr. Astrophys. 247, 320–334 (1991).
Bloemen, H. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 27, 469–516 (1989).
Osterbrock, D. E. Astrophysics of Gaseous Nebulae and Active Galactic Nuclei 350–352 (Univ. Science Books, Mill Valley, California 1989).
Kennicutt, R. C. & Kent, S. M. Astr. J. 88, 1094–1107 (1983).
Kennicutt, R. C. Astrophys. J. 272, 54–67 (1983).
Kennicutt, R. C. in The Interstellar Medium in Galaxies (eds Thronson, H. A. & Shull, J. M.) 405–435 (Kluwer, Dordrecht 1989).
Barnes, J. E. & Hernquist, L. E. Astrophys. J. 370, L65–68 (1991).
Hernquist, L. E. & Barnes, J. E. Nature 354, 210–212 (1991).
Blackman, C. P. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc 188, 93–102 (1979).
Braun, R. Astrophys. J. 372, 54–66 (1991).
Burton, W. B. & Liszt, H. S. Astrophys. J. 225, 815–842 (1978).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Braun, R., Walterbos, R. & Kennicut, R. Counter-rotating gaseous disks in the "Evil Eye" galaxy NGC4826. Nature 360, 442–444 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/360442a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/360442a0
This article is cited by
-
A massive counter-rotating gas disk in a spiral galaxy
Nature (1995)
-
The ?sleeping beauty? galaxy NGC 4826: an almost textbook example of the abelian higgs vorto-source (-sink)
Astrophysics and Space Science (1995)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.