NGC 1022 & NGC 1052 -- Galaxies in Cetus
Two Small Herschel 400 Galaxies in Cetus
Although, NGC 1052 and NGC 1022 are galaxies of about the same apparent size and
distance, one (NGC 1052) was bright and easy to see while the other (NGC 1022) was dim
and a challenge to find with the 110mm refractor from Alpha Ridge Park.
The reason for the two different luminosities rests in the galaxies themselves. The brighter
NGC 1052 is an elliptical galaxy with an active galactic nucleus. Considerable fuel is being
fed to a supermassive black hole at its center. This black hole has a mass of 154 million
times that of our sun. The origin of the fuel (stars, gas, dust) for the black hole is due to NGC
1052 devouring a smaller galaxy in its recent past. On the other hand, the dimmer spiral
galaxy NGC 1022 is far less active.
distance, one (NGC 1052) was bright and easy to see while the other (NGC 1022) was dim
and a challenge to find with the 110mm refractor from Alpha Ridge Park.
The reason for the two different luminosities rests in the galaxies themselves. The brighter
NGC 1052 is an elliptical galaxy with an active galactic nucleus. Considerable fuel is being
fed to a supermassive black hole at its center. This black hole has a mass of 154 million
times that of our sun. The origin of the fuel (stars, gas, dust) for the black hole is due to NGC
1052 devouring a smaller galaxy in its recent past. On the other hand, the dimmer spiral
galaxy NGC 1022 is far less active.