astronomy

IC 5201

IC 5201 is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IC 5201 rather than just read about it. In short: IC 5201 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Grus. It is located at a distance of about 35 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that IC 5201 is about 90,000 light years across.

Key takeaways

IC 5201 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IC 5201 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IC 5201 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

IC 5201 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Grus. It is located at a distance of about 35 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that IC 5201 is about 90,000 light years across. It was discovered by Joseph Lunt in 1900. IC 5201 is characterised by its bright bar, that measures 0.6 × 0.16 arcminutes. The galaxy has multiple thin arms which contain a large number of HII regions, where new stars are born. The largest of these regions have diameter about 5 arcseconds. The galaxy has been found to have HII region activity in its nucleus. The total star formation rate of the galaxy is estimated to be 1.7 M☉ per year. The galaxy is close enough so as its stars can be resolved. The brightest of them have apparent magnitude about 21.5. One ultra-luminous X-ray source has been detected in the galaxy. IC 5201 is characterised as an isolated galaxy. Despite the fact IC 5201 does not belong to a galaxy group, it is the largest galaxy in an area of the universe where lie other galaxies too, like NGC 7462.

Supernova One supernova has been observed in IC 5201: SN 1978G. It was first reported by J. C. Blades, of the Anglo-Australian Observatory, and R. E. Griffiths, of Center for Astrophysics, on November 24.5 UTC, with apparent magnitude at discovery 13.5. The supernova was detected in its early stages. Spectroscopic observations revealed it was a Type II supernova. It was located 1'.6 west and 0'.7 north of the nucleus.

References

External links Media related to IC 5201 at Wikimedia Commons IC 5201 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images IC 5201 on SIMBAD

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IC 5201

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IC 5201 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IC 5201 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IC 5201 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IC 5201

In research: IC 5201 appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IC 5201 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IC 5201 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1900, Barred spiral galaxies, Grus (constellation), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IC 5201 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study IC 5201 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IC 5201 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IC 5201 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IC 5201 in simple terms?

Why does IC 5201 matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IC 5201?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IC 5201.