Herschel 077

Date: 24 June 2022

Altitude: 54 - 59 degrees

Angular Size: 1° 00' x 0° 45'

Orientation: North up; East left

Pixel scale: 1.30" per pixel

Total exposure time: 61 minutes

B filter: 33 x 45 seconds

V filter: 33 x 37 seconds

R filter: 33 x 30 seconds

Herschel 77 is also known as NGC 5982

Galaxy: Classification E

Constellation: Draco

Diameter: 110,000 light years

Distance: 130 million light years

Notes

Herschel 80 was discovered by William Herschel on 25 May 1788.

It has a kinematically decoupled nucleus, with its major axis being nearly perpendicular to the

rotation of the galaxy. It features about 26 shells in its envelope, which form circular arcs, with

the further being located at a radius of 150 arcseconds along the major axis of the galaxy,

while the innermost one lies 8 arcseconds off the nucleus. The shells and the kinematically

decoupled nucleus are the result of the merger of the elliptical galaxy with a small elliptical

galaxy.

The galaxy has globular clusters that belong in two populations, red and blue, with ages over 5

billion years. The luminosity of Herschel 80 is dominated by light emitted by old stars, and in

the centre lies a supermassive black hole estimated at 8.3×10

8

solar masses.

Herschel 80 belongs to a galaxy group known as the NGC 5982 group. Other members in-

clude NGC 5976, NGC 5981, NGC 5985, NGC 5987, and NGC 5989.