astronomy

NGC 2573

NGC 2573 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 2573 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 2573, also known as Polarissima Australis, is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Octans. It has an apparent magnitude of 13.25, making it readily visible in medium-sized telescopes, but not to the naked eye.

Key takeaways

NGC 2573 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 2573 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 2573 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 2573, also known as Polarissima Australis, is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Octans. It has an apparent magnitude of 13.25, making it readily visible in medium-sized telescopes, but not to the naked eye. The object is located relatively far at a distance of 84 million light years and it is currently receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 2495 km/s. Using a redshift of z = 0.08102 yields a greater distance of 109 million light years. The galaxy was discovered on March 29th, 1837 by English astronomer John Herschel. It is the closest NGC object to the south celestial pole, hence the nickname "Polarissima Australis". In the De Vaucouleurs system, NGC 2573 has a morphological classification of SAB(s)cd:, indicating that it is a weakly-barred spiral galaxy with loosely bound spiral arms and a small, faint bulge. The (s) notation indicates that the galaxy has a purely spiral structure. There is uncertainty about the classification, possibly due to NGC 2573's faintness. NGC 2573 is estimated to be 77,800 light years across, making it similar in size to the Milky Way. Alternatively, it has a central mass of 3.229×1011 M☉, which is 28% of the latter's mass.

See also NGC 3172 - the closest NGC object to the north celestial pole.

References

External links SIMBAD: NGC 2573 -- Galaxy

NGC 2573 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 2573

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 2573 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 2573 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 2573 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 2573

In research: NGC 2573 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 2573 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 2573 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Barred spiral galaxies, NGC objects, Octans, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 2573 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 2573 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 2573 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 2573 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 2573 in simple terms?

Why does NGC 2573 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 2573?

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 2573.