astronomy

NGC 3507

NGC 3507 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 3507 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 3507 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. The galaxy lies about 50 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 3507 is approximately 47,000 light years across.

Key takeaways

NGC 3507 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 3507 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 3507 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 3507 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Leo. The galaxy lies about 50 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 3507 is approximately 47,000 light years across. It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on March 14, 1784.

Characteristics The galaxy features a prominent bar and two spiral arms emerge from the end of the bar at a right angle. It is considered to be a grand design galaxy, as the two arms are well defined. The arms are bright for about half a revolution and can be traced for nearly a full revolution before fading. The Southeast arm wraps more tightly than the northwest one. The inner regions feature knots, which have been identified as young star groupings. About 90 have been detected, with a mean diameter of 121 pc. The galaxy lacks high-velocity clouds, indicating low star formation rate. The star formation rate is estimated to be 2.0±0.4 M☉. The hydrogen distribution is clumpy and there is a low HI signal from the central region of the galaxy. The nucleus of the galaxy has been found to be active and has been categorised as a LINER. However its active nucleus status has been questioned, as the ultraviolet radiation and optical spectrum are consistent with the presence of a compact young star cluster in the nucleus and the X-ray emission doesn't follow the power law indicating it could be the result of many supernova remnants creating a superbubble. On the other hand, OIII/ Hα and NII/ Hα ratios are in line with other active galaxies. A radio counterpart of the core which extends slightly to the south has been observed, indicating the galaxy may have a jet. The galaxy is seen nearly face-on, at an inclination of 17°. The bright star near the center of the galaxy is a spectroscopic binary, catalogued as BD+18 2441.

Nearby galaxies NGC 3507 forms a pair with NGC 3501, which lies 12.7 arcminutes away. Together, the two galaxies are listed as Holm 224 in Erik Holmberg's A Study of Double and Multiple Galaxies Together with Inquiries into some General Metagalactic Problems, published in 1937. A. M. Garcia puts the galaxy in the same group as UGC 6095, UGC 617, UGC 6112, and UGC 6181. On the other hand, Makarov considers NGC 3507 to be a member of the NGC 3607 Group, along with NGC 3443, NGC 3447, NGC 3455, NGC 3457, NGC 3501, NGC 3599, NGC 3605, NGC 3607, and NGC 3608.

Gallery

See also List of NGC objects (3001–4000)

References

External links

NGC 3507 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 3507

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 3507 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 3507 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 3507 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 3507

In research: NGC 3507 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 3507 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 3507 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1784, Barred spiral galaxies, Discoveries by William Herschel, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 3507 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.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “NGC 3507” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study NGC 3507 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 3507 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 3507 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 3507 in simple terms?

Why does NGC 3507 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 3507?

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 3507.