astronomy

NGC 3338

NGC 3338 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 3338 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 3338 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. The galaxy lies about 75 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 3338 is approximately 130,000 light years across.

Key takeaways

NGC 3338 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 3338 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 3338 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 3338 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. The galaxy lies about 75 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 3338 is approximately 130,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on March 19, 1784. NGC 3338 is categorised as a SA(s)c galaxy, meaning it is a spiral galaxy with no bar. It has a small elliptical bulge. The stellar velocity dispertion in the pseudobulge of NGC 3338 is 78 ± 2 km/s. The galaxy has two thin and well ordered spiral arms, but its overall pattern is between a grand design galaxy and multiple spiral arms as there are many spiral fragments between the arms. At their beginning the arms have different pitch angles but are symmetric and diffuse in their outer parts. The arms are bright for about half a revolution and their fainter extremities can be traced for another half revolution. There are some knots in the disk and HII regions, the largest of which more than two arcseconds across. NGC 3338 is the foremost galaxy of the NGC 3338 Group. Other members of the group include NGC 3346, NGC 3389, UGC 5832 and Mrk 1263. At least 8 satellite galaxies have been found around NGC 3338 and five more are possible satellites. The group is part of the Leo II Groups, a large cloud of galaxies in the Virgo Supercluster.

References

External links

NGC 3338 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 3338

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 3338 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 3338 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 3338 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 3338

In research: NGC 3338 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 3338 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 3338 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1784, Discoveries by William Herschel, Leo (constellation), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 3338 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 3338 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 3338 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 3338 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 3338 in simple terms?

Why does NGC 3338 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 3338?

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 3338.