astronomy

NGC 2770

NGC 2770 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 2770 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 2770 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Lynx, near the northern constellation border with Cancer. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on December 7, 1785.

Key takeaways

NGC 2770 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 2770 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 2770 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 2770 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Lynx, near the northern constellation border with Cancer. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on December 7, 1785. J. L. E. Dreyer described it as, "faint, large, much extended 150°, mottled but not resolved, 2 stars to north". NGC 2770 was the target for the first binocular image produced by the Large Binocular Telescope. The morphological classification of SBc indicates a barred spiral with moderately-wound arms. The physical properties of this galaxy are similar to those of the Milky Way. The combined mass of stars in the galaxy is estimated at 2.1×1010 M☉, and it has a star formation rate of ~1.1 M☉ y−1. There are no apparent perturbations of the galaxy due to suspected interaction with the companion galaxy, NGC 2770B.

Supernovae

Four supernovae have been observed in NGC 2770 within a twenty years span. This high rate is considered anomalous for an ordinary galaxy. The explanation may lie in a recently enhanced star formation rate due to interaction with a companion galaxy.

SN 1999eh (Type Ib, mag. 17.5) was discovered by Mark Armstrong on 12 October 1999. SN 2007uy (Type Ib, mag. 17.2) was discovered by Yoji Hirose on 31 December 2007. SN 2008D (Type Ib, mag. 17.5) was discovered by NASA's Swift X-ray telescope on 9 January 2008, while observing SN 2007uy. It was the first supernova detected by the X-rays released very early on in its formation, rather than by the optical light emitted during the later stages, which allowed the first moments of the outburst to be observed. It is possible that NGC 2770's interactions with a suspected companion galaxy may have created the massive stars causing this activity. SN 2015bh was discovered by the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey and Stan Howerton on 7 February 2015, and was either a Type II supernova or the hyper-eruption of a luminous blue variable.

See also List of NGC objects (2001–3000)

References

Further reading "Imposter or the Real Deal?". www.spacetelescope.org. Retrieved 6 January 2020.

External links Media related to NGC 2770 at Wikimedia Commons Astronomers Witness Supernova's First Moments NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Supernova Factory NGC 2770 (18 January 2008)

NGC 2770 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 2770

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 2770 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 2770 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 2770 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 2770

In research: NGC 2770 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 2770 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 2770 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1785, Barred spiral galaxies, Discoveries by William Herschel, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 2770 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 2770 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 2770 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 2770 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 2770 in simple terms?

Why does NGC 2770 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 2770?

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 2770.