astronomy

NGC 3191

NGC 3191 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 3191 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 3191 (also known as NGC 3192) is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered on 5 February 1788 by William Herschel.

Key takeaways

NGC 3191 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 3191 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 3191 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 3191 (also known as NGC 3192) is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered on 5 February 1788 by William Herschel. It is located at a distance of about 400 million light years from Earth, which, given its apparent dimensions, means that NGC 3191 is about 115,000 light years across. The galaxy has been distorted and interacts with a companion about 0.5 arcminutes to the west, a galaxy identified as KUG 1015+467. An extremely blue tidal bridge lies between them. It was discovered by Gaia on 23 May 2017.

Supernovae

Three supernovae have been observed in NGC 3191:

SN 1988B (Type Ia, mag. 15.5) was discovered by Paul Wild on 18 January 1988, 10" north of the galaxy's center. PTF10bgl (Type II-P, mag. unknown) was discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory on 6 February 2010. SN 2017egm (Type SLSN-I, mag. 16.72) was identified as a Type I superluminous supernova. It is the closest supernova of this type observed and also the first to be found in a massive spiral galaxy.

See also List of NGC objects (3001–4000)

References

External links Media related to NGC 3191 at Wikimedia Commons NGC 3191 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 3191

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 3191 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 3191 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 3191 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 3191

In research: NGC 3191 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 3191 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 3191 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1788, Barred spiral galaxies, Discoveries by William Herschel, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 3191 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 3191 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 3191 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 3191 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 3191 in simple terms?

NGC 3191 (also known as NGC 3192) is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered on 5 February 1788 by William Herschel.

Why does NGC 3191 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 3191?

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 3191.