{{Short description|Galaxy in the constellation Centaurus}} {{Infobox galaxy | name = [[New General Catalogue|NGC]] 5121 | image = Ngc5121-hst-606.png | caption = NGC 5121 imaged by [[Hubble Space Telescope]] | epoch = [[J2000]] | type = SA(rs)a <ref name="ned">{{cite web | website=NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database | publisher = [[NASA]] and [[California Institute of Technology|Caltech]] | title=Results for object NGC 5121 | url=https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/byname?objname=NGC+5121 | access-date=25 February 2025 }}</ref> | ra = {{RA|13|24|45.6245}}<ref name="ned" /> | dec = {{DEC|-37|40|55.852}}<ref name="ned" /> | dist_ly = [[1 E22 m|82]] ± 6.7 [[light-year|Mly]] (25.15 ± 2.1 [[parsec|Mpc]])<ref name="ned" /> | z = 0.004913 ± 0.000023 <ref name="ned" /> | h_radial_v = 1,473 ± 7&nbsp;km/[[second|s]]<ref name="ned" /> | appmag_v = 10.7<ref>{{cite web |title=Revised NGC Data for NGC 5121 |url=https://spider.seds.org/ngc/revngcic.cgi?NGC5121 |website=spider.seds.org |access-date=30 March 2024}}</ref> | size_v = 1.9{{prime}} × 1.5{{prime}} <ref name="ned" /> | size = ~{{convert|17|kpc|ly|abbr=on|lk=on|order=flip}} (estimated){{r|ned}} | constellation name = [[Centaurus (constellation)|Centaurus]] | group_cluster = NGC 5121 Group | notes = | names = {{odlist | name= ESO 382- G 057 |name2= AM 1321-372 | MCG= -06-29-035 | IRAS= 13219-3725 | PGC= 46896 }}{{r|ned}} }}

'''NGC 5121''' is an [[unbarred spiral galaxy]] in the constellation [[Centaurus (constellation)|Centaurus]]. The galaxy lies about 80&nbsp;million [[light years]] away from Earth, which means, given its apparent dimensions, that NGC 5121 is approximately 55,000 light years across.<ref name="ned" /> It was discovered by [[John Herschel]] on June 26, 1834.<ref name="Seligman">{{cite web |last1=Seligman |first1=Courtney |title=NGC 5121 (= PGC 46896) |url=https://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc51.htm#5121 |website=Celestial Atlas |access-date=19 November 2018}}</ref>

The galaxy has a bright nucleus,<ref name="Eskridge"/> which is [[active galactic nucleus|inactive]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ashok |first1=Aishwarya |last2=Seth |first2=Anil |last3=Erwin |first3=Peter |last4=Debattista |first4=Victor P. |last5=de Lorenzo-Cáceres |first5=Adriana |last6=Gadotti |first6=Dmitri A. |last7=Méndez-Abreu |first7=Jairo |last8=Beckman |first8=John E. |last9=Bender |first9=Ralf |last10=Drory |first10=Niv |last11=Fisher |first11=Deanne |last12=Hopp |first12=Ulrich |last13=Kluge |first13=Matthias |last14=Kolcu |first14=Tutku |last15=Maciejewski |first15=Witold |last16=Mehrgan |first16=Kianusch |last17=Parikh |first17=Taniya |last18=Saglia |first18=Roberto |last19=Seidel |first19=Marja |last20=Thomas |first20=Jens |title=Composite Bulges. III. A Study of Nuclear Star Clusters in Nearby Spiral Galaxies |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |date=1 November 2023 |volume=958 |issue=1 |pages=100 |doi=10.3847/1538-4357/ace341|doi-access=free |arxiv=2308.03913 |bibcode=2023ApJ...958..100A }}</ref> The nuclear region appears elongated, maybe due to the presence of a bar.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carollo |first1=C. M. |last2=Stiavelli |first2=M. |last3=Mack |first3=J. |title=Spiral Galaxies with WFPC2. II. The Nuclear Properties of 40 Objects |journal=The Astronomical Journal |date=July 1998 |volume=116 |issue=1 |pages=68–84 |doi=10.1086/300407|arxiv=astro-ph/9804007 |bibcode=1998AJ....116...68C }}</ref> The [[isophote]]s of the [[galactic bulge|bulge]] appear circular towards the centre but become elliptical at its outer regions. The galaxy is unbarred. The bulge is surrounded by a low surface brightness disk.<ref name="Eskridge">{{cite journal |last1=Eskridge |first1=Paul B. |last2=Frogel |first2=Jay A. |last3=Pogge |first3=Richard W. |last4=Quillen |first4=Alice C. |last5=Berlind |first5=Andreas A. |last6=Davies |first6=Roger L. |last7=DePoy |first7=D. L. |last8=Gilbert |first8=Karoline M. |last9=Houdashelt |first9=Mark L. |last10=Kuchinski |first10=Leslie E. |last11=Ramirez |first11=Solange V. |last12=Sellgren |first12=K. |last13=Stutz |first13=Amelia |last14=Terndrup |first14=Donald M. |last15=Tiede |first15=Glenn P. |title=Near-Infrared and Optical Morphology of Spiral Galaxies |journal=The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series |date=November 2002 |volume=143 |issue=1 |pages=73–111 |doi=10.1086/342340|arxiv=astro-ph/0206320 |bibcode=2002ApJS..143...73E }}</ref> The disk features a spiral pattern with multiple tightly wound [[spiral arm]]s. The spiral pattern is subtle and thus the galaxy had been classified in the past as a [[lenticular galaxy]].<ref name=Carnegie>Sandage, A., Bedke, J. (1994), ''The Carnegie Atlas of Galaxies. Volume I'', Carnegie Institution of Washington</ref>

NGC 5121 is the foremost galaxy of the NGC 5121 Group, also known as LGG 349. Other members of the group include ESO 382- 45, ESO 324- 23, ESO 382- 31, NGC 5121A, and ESO 324- 26.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Garcia |first1=A. M. |title=General study of group membership. II. Determination of nearby groups. |journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series |date=1 July 1993 |volume=100 |pages=47–90 |url=https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/J/A+AS/100/47/table2.dat |bibcode= 1993A&AS..100...47G |issn=0365-0138}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == {{wikiSky}} *[http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-id?Ident=NGC%205121 NGC 5121 on SIMBAD]

{{Ngc55}} {{Centaurus}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:NGC 5121}} [[Category:Unbarred spiral galaxies]] [[Category:Centaurus]] [[Category:NGC objects|5121]] [[Category:MCG objects|-06-29-035]] [[Category:Principal Galaxies Catalogue objects|46896]] [[Category:Astronomical objects discovered in 1834]] [[Category:Discoveries by John Herschel]]