Sculptor Group

Galaxy cluster
name = Sculptor group


caption= The Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253), as seen at near-infrared wavelengths. Credit: 2MASS.
constellation = Sculptor/Cetus
epoch=J2000
ra=RA|00|48cite web
title=NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database
work=Results for NGC 253, identified as the core of the Sculptor Group
url=http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/
accessdate=2006-11-25]
dec=DEC|-25|17
member_no = 13cite journal
author=I. D. Karachentsev, E. K. Grebel, M. E. Sharina, A. E. Dolphin, D. Geisler, P. Guhathakrta, P. W. Hodge, V. E. Karachentseva, A. Sarajedini, P. Seitzer
title=Distances to nearby galaxies in Sculptor
journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics
year=2003
volume=404
pages=93–111
url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2003A&A...404...93K | doi = 10.1051/0004-6361:20030170 ] cite journal
author=I. D. Karachentsev
title=The Local Group and Other Neighboring Galaxy Groups
journal=Astronomical Journal
year=2005
volume=129
pages=178–188
url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005AJ....129..178K | doi = 10.1086/426368 ]
brightest_member = Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253)cite book
last = Burnham
first = Robert
authorlink = Robert Burnham, Jr.
title = Burnham's Celestial Handbook; An Observers Guide to the Universe Beyond the Solar System; Volume Three, Pavo Through Vulpecula
publisher = Dover Publications, Inc.
year = 1978
id = ISBN 0-486-24065-7
pages = 1736]
other_names = NGC 253 Group, LGG 4, Sculptor Filament,
South Polar Group, South Galactic Pole Group

The Sculptor Group is a loose group of galaxies near the south galactic pole. The group is one of the closest groups of galaxies to the Local Group; the distance to the center of the group from the Milky Way is approximately 3.9 Mpc.

The Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253) and a few other galaxies form a gravitationally-bound core in the center of this group. A few other galaxies at the periphery may be associated with the group but may not be gravitationally bound. Because most of the galaxies in this group are actually weakly graviationally bound, the group may also be described as a filament.

Members

The table below lists galaxies that have been identified as associated with the Sculptor Galaxy (and hence associated with the group) by I. D. Karachentsev and collaborators.

Note that the object names used in the above table differ from the names used by Karachentsev and collaborators. NGC, IC, UGC, and PGC numbers have been used when possible to allow for easier referencing.

Foreground galaxies

The irregular galaxy NGC 55, the spiral galaxy NGC 300, and their companion galaxies have been considered by many researchers to be part of this group. However, recent distance measurements to these and other galaxies in the same region of the sky show that NGC 55, NGC 300, and their companions may simply be foreground galaxies that are physically unassociated with the Sculptor Group.

References