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Digital Universe Guide - Hayden Planetarium

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4.3. EXTRAGALACTIC DATA GROUPS 177<br />

unbarred spiral galaxies (S & SB) are merged, since data on bars are often inconclusive. For an<br />

overview of galaxy classification, see “Galaxies” in the extragalactic overview.<br />

Galaxy Morphology Codes and Census<br />

Number Hubble Type Galaxy Type Census<br />

-5 E Elliptical 20<br />

-3 E/SO Elliptical/Lenticular 1<br />

3<br />

-2 SO Lenticular 2<br />

0 SO/a Lenticular/Spiral 39<br />

1 Sa Spiral 0<br />

2 Sab Spiral 3<br />

3 Sb Spiral 3<br />

4 Sbc Spiral 1<br />

5 Sc Spiral 8<br />

6 Scd Spiral 9<br />

7 Sd Spiral 12<br />

8 Sdm Spiral 12<br />

9 Sm Spiral/irregular 15<br />

10 Irr Irregular 117<br />

12 S Spiral/irregular 2<br />

0<br />

13 P Peculiar 0<br />

This table also describes the population of galaxies in the data set. Most of them are irregular<br />

galaxies, with SO/a spirals (mostly dwarfs) are the second-highest population in the data set. Most of<br />

the galaxies around us are small, but is this true elsewhere in the <strong>Universe</strong>? Turns out the answer is<br />

probably yes, and we happen to live in a large galaxy.<br />

Other data variables describe the galaxy’s size, brightness, and orientation. diamkpc is the diameter<br />

of the galaxy in kiloparsecs (the Milky Way is 100,000 light-years in diameter, which equals 30 kpc).<br />

Mblueneg is the negative value of the intrinsic B magnitude of the galaxy. The luminosity is a linear<br />

scaling of the intrinsic B magnitude, with lum = 1 corresponding to Mblueneg = 19.<br />

In this data set, a galaxy is often a member of a group, a cluster, a cloud, and a supercluster. Many<br />

groups and clusters of galaxies form a cloud, and many clouds form a supercluster. For example, the<br />

Milky Way belongs to the Local Group, which is in the Virgo Supercluster, which is part of the<br />

Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex.<br />

The pgc variable is the Principal Galaxies Catalogue number, and the hicnt is a cross-referencing<br />

1 classification uncertain

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