astronomy

NGC 2146

NGC 2146 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 2146 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 2146 (also known as the Dusty Hand Galaxy) is a barred spiral galaxy type SB(s)ab pec in the constellation Camelopardalis. The galaxy was discovered in 1876 by Friedrich August Theodor Winnecke.

Key takeaways

NGC 2146 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 2146 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 2146 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 2146 (also known as the Dusty Hand Galaxy) is a barred spiral galaxy type SB(s)ab pec in the constellation Camelopardalis. The galaxy was discovered in 1876 by Friedrich August Theodor Winnecke. NGC 2146 has an isophotal diameter of 38.3 kiloparsecs (125,000 light-years), slightly larger than the Milky Way. The galaxy's most conspicuous feature is the dusty lanes of a spiral arm lying across the core of the galaxy as seen from Earth, the arm having been bent 45 degrees by a close encounter with a smaller galaxy, possibly NGC 2146A, about 0.8 billion years ago. This close encounter is credited with the relatively high rates of star formation that qualify NGC 2146 as a starburst galaxy.

Supernovae

NGC 2146 has been host to three known supernova events:

SN 2005V (Type Ib/c, mag. 16) was discovered by LIRIS on 30 January 2005. SN 2018zd (Type II, mag. 17.8) is possibly a Type IIn and might be the first electron-capture supernova, and was discovered on 2 March 2018 by Kōichi Itagaki. SN 2024abfl (Type II, mag. 17.5) was discovered on 15 November 2024 by Kōichi Itagaki.

References

External links Media related to NGC 2146 at Wikimedia Commons

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NGC 2146

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 2146 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 2146 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 2146 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 2146

In research: NGC 2146 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 2146 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 2146 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1876, Barred spiral galaxies, Barred spiral galaxy stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 2146 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 2146 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 2146 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 2146 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 2146 in simple terms?

NGC 2146 (also known as the Dusty Hand Galaxy) is a barred spiral galaxy type SB(s)ab pec in the constellation Camelopardalis. The galaxy was discovered in 1876 by Friedrich August Theodor Winnecke.

Why does NGC 2146 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 2146?

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 2146.