astronomy

NGC 3887

NGC 3887 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 3887 rather than just read about it. In short: NGC 3887 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Crater. The galaxy lies about 55 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 3887 is approximately 60,000 light years across.

Key takeaways

NGC 3887 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 3887 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of NGC 3887 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

NGC 3887 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Crater. The galaxy lies about 55 million light years away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 3887 is approximately 60,000 light years across. It was discovered by William Herschel on December 31, 1785. NGC 3887 is a barred galaxy. Two thin dust lanes run across the bar from the centre of the galaxy, which bend and extend into the arms. The bar is embedded in a small centrally concentrated bulge. The galaxy has two spiral arms which emerge from its end of the bar. The arms appear lumpy and can be traced for about 300° before fading. The lumps are the most pronounced part of the arms at their outer portion. HII regions are visible across the arms. The star formation rate is estimated to be 2.1 M☉ per year. The galaxy has an inner ring, with a diameter of 1.13 arcminutes and an outer ring with a diameter of 3.38 arcminutes. In the centre of the galaxy lies a supermassive black hole with an estimated mass of (2.82±1.33)×106 M☉. The galaxy is seen at an inclination of 49°. NGC 3887 is the foremost galaxy of the NGC 3887 Group, which also includes the galaxies HIPASS J1143-15, [KKS2000] 25, and HIPASS J1150-17.

Gallery

References

External links

NGC 3887 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images NGC 3887 on SIMBAD

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with NGC 3887

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what NGC 3887 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 3887 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 3887 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 3887

In research: NGC 3887 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 3887 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 3887 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1786, Barred spiral galaxies, Crater (constellation), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for NGC 3887 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 3887 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what NGC 3887 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 3887 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is NGC 3887 in simple terms?

Why does NGC 3887 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 3887?

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 3887.