astronomy

NGC 1272

NGC 1272 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 NGC 1272 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 1272 is a massive elliptical galaxy located about 230 million light-years away in the constellation Perseus. It was discovered by astronomer Heinrich d'Arrest on February 14, 1863.

Key takeaways

NGC 1272 belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect NGC 1272 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 1272 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 1272 is a massive elliptical galaxy located about 230 million light-years away in the constellation Perseus. It was discovered by astronomer Heinrich d'Arrest on February 14, 1863. NGC 1272 has an active nucleus and is the second brightest member of the Perseus Cluster after NGC 1275.

Radio jets NGC 1272 has two radio jets which are powered by an AGN at the center of the galaxy. The jets are bent and have a radius of curvature of ~6,500 ly (2 kpc). The morphology of the jets indicate that the jets are affected by ram-pressure stripping caused by the motion of NGC 1272 though the ICM of the Perseus Cluster. Due to the proximity of NGC 1272 to the center of the Perseus Cluster, the galaxy experiences ram-pressure on an order of magnitude larger than any other bent-double in the cluster and experiences stronger ram-pressure than other bent-doubles outside of the cluster.

ISM removal The small bending radius of the jets requires NGC 1272 to have essentially no ISM at radii of ~2 kpc and beyond. The ISM of NGC 1272 may have also been removed though ram-pressure stripping. However, ram-pressure alone cannot remove a fraction of the ISM from deep within the galaxy. Another process, such as AGN feedback in NGC 1272 must have initially removed a large fraction of the ISM before ram-pressure can become effective in removing the ISM.

Globular clusters It is estimated that around 12,000 globular clusters surround NGC 1272.

SN 2016arc On February 26, 2016 a Type Ia supernova designated as SN 2016arc was discovered in NGC 1272.

See also List of NGC objects (1001–2000) NGC 1265 NGC 1275 Messier 87 NGC 4061 - a bent radio double galaxy in the NGC 4065 Group NGC 1277 NGC 1278 NGC 1273 NGC 1268 NGC 1270

References

External links

NGC 1272 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NGC 1272

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 1272 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 NGC 1272 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 NGC 1272 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 NGC 1272

In research: NGC 1272 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 NGC 1272 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: NGC 1272 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1863, Discoveries by Heinrich Louis d'Arrest, Elliptical galaxies, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 1272 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 NGC 1272 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 1272 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 NGC 1272 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 1272 in simple terms?

NGC 1272 is a massive elliptical galaxy located about 230 million light-years away in the constellation Perseus. It was discovered by astronomer Heinrich d'Arrest on February 14, 1863.

Why does NGC 1272 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 NGC 1272?

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 NGC 1272.