# NGC 5548

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Type I Seyfert galaxy in the constellation Boötes

NGC 5548 NGC 5548 image by Hubble.[1] Observation data (J2000 epoch) Constellation Boötes Right ascension 14h 17m 59.513s[2] Declination +25° 08′ 12.45″[2] Redshift 0.01651 ± 0.00189[3] Heliocentric radial velocity 5,178[4] km/s Distance 244.6 Mly (75.01 Mpc)[5] Apparent magnitude (V) 13.283[6] Characteristics Type SA0/a pec[7] Apparent size (V) 1.7′ × 1.5′[4] Notable features Seyfert galaxy; radio jet[8] Other designations Mrk 1509, UGC 9149[8]

**NGC 5548** is a Type I [Seyfert galaxy](/source/Seyfert_galaxy) with a bright, [active nucleus](/source/Active_galactic_nucleus).[9] This activity is caused by matter flowing onto a 65 million [solar mass](/source/Solar_mass) ([M☉](/source/Solar_mass)) [supermassive black hole](/source/Supermassive_black_hole) at the core.[10] [Morphologically](/source/Galaxy_morphological_classification), this is an unbarred [lenticular galaxy](/source/Lenticular_galaxy) with tightly-wound [spiral arms](/source/Spiral_arm), while shell and [tidal tail](/source/Tidal_tail) features suggest that it has undergone a cosmologically-recent merger or interaction event.[7] NGC 5548 is approximately 245[5] million [light years](/source/Light_years) away and appears in the constellation [Boötes](/source/Bo%C3%B6tes). The [apparent visual magnitude](/source/Apparent_visual_magnitude) of NGC 5548 is approximately 13.3 in the [V band](/source/UBV_photometric_system).[6]

In 1943, this galaxy was one of twelve [nebulae](/source/Nebulae) listed by American astronomer [Carl Keenan Seyfert](/source/Carl_Keenan_Seyfert) that showed broad [emission lines](/source/Emission_line) in their [nuclei](/source/Galactic_nuclei).[11] Members of this class of objects became known as [Seyfert galaxies](/source/Seyfert_galaxy), and they were noted to have a higher than normal surface brightness in their nuclei.[12] Observation of NGC 5548 during the 1960s with [radio telescopes](/source/Radio_telescope) showed an enhanced level of [radio emission](/source/Radio_astronomy).[13] [Spectrograms](/source/Spectrogram) of the nucleus made in 1966 showed that the energized region was confined to a volume a few [parsecs](/source/Parsec) across, where temperature were around 14000 K and the plasma had a dispersion velocity of ±450 km/s.[14]

Among astronomers, the accepted explanation for the active nucleus in NGC 5548 is the accretion of matter onto a [supermassive black hole](/source/Supermassive_black_hole) (SMBH) at the core. This object is surrounded by an orbiting disk of accreted matter drawn in from the surroundings. As material is drawn into the outer parts of this disk, it becomes [photoionized](/source/Photoionization), producing broad emission lines in the optical and [ultraviolet](/source/Ultraviolet) bands of the [electromagnetic spectrum](/source/Electromagnetic_spectrum). A wind of ionized matter, organized in filamentary structures at distances of 1–14 light days from the center, is flowing outward in the direction perpendicular to the accretion disk plane.[9]

The mass of the central black hole can be estimated based on the properties of the emission lines in the core region. Combined measurements yield an estimated mass of 6.54+0.26 −0.25×107 [*M*☉](/source/Solar_mass). In other words, it is some 65 million times the mass of the [Sun](/source/Sun). This result is consistent with other methods of estimating the mass of the SMBH in the nucleus of NGC 5548.[10] Matter is falling onto this black hole at the estimated rate of 0.03 *M*☉ per year, whereas mass is flowing outward from the core at or above the rate of 0.92 *M*☉ each year.[15] The inner part of the accretion disk surrounding the SMBH forms a thick, hot [corona](/source/Stellar_corona) spanning several light hours that is emitting [X-rays](/source/X-ray_astronomy). When this radiation reaches the [optically thick](/source/Optically_thick) part of the accretion disk at a radius of around 1–2 light days, the X-rays are converted into heat.[16]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Swiftly moving gas streamer eclipses supermassive black hole"](http://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1413/). *ESA/Hubble Press Release*. Retrieved 20 June 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ApJ131_1163_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ApJ131_1163_2-1) Skrutskie, Michael F.; Cutri, Roc M.; Stiening, Rae; Weinberg, Martin D.; Schneider, Stephen E.; Carpenter, John M.; Beichman, Charles A.; Capps, Richard W.; Chester, Thomas; Elias, Jonathan H.; Huchra, John P.; Liebert, James W.; Lonsdale, Carol J.; Monet, David G.; Price, Stephan; Seitzer, Patrick; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Gizis, John E.; Howard, Elizabeth V.; Evans, Tracey E.; Fowler, John W.; Fullmer, Linda; Hurt, Robert L.; Light, Robert M.; Kopan, Eugene L.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; McCallon, Howard L.; Tam, Robert; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Wheelock, Sherry L. (1 February 2006). ["The Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS)"](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F498708). *The Astronomical Journal*. **131** (2): 1163–1183. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2006AJ....131.1163S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006AJ....131.1163S). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/498708](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F498708). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0004-6256](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0004-6256). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [18913331](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:18913331).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Adelman-McCarthy2009_3-0)** Adelman-McCarthy, J. K.; et al. (June 2009), "The SDSS Photometric Catalog, Release 7", *VizieR On-line Data Catalog: II/294*, [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2009yCat.2294....0A](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009yCat.2294....0A).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Springob2005_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Springob2005_4-1) Springob, Christopher M.; et al. (September 2005), "A Digital Archive of H I 21 Centimeter Line Spectra of Optically Targeted Galaxies", *The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series*, **160** (1): 149–162, [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[astro-ph/0505025](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0505025), [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2005ApJS..160..149S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005ApJS..160..149S), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/431550](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F431550), [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [14911447](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:14911447). See footnote 2.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Crook2007_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Crook2007_5-1) Crook, Aidan C.; et al. (February 2007), "Groups of Galaxies in the Two Micron All Sky Redshift Survey", *The Astrophysical Journal*, **655** (2): 790–813, [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[astro-ph/0610732](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0610732), [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2007ApJ...655..790C](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007ApJ...655..790C), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/510201](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F510201), [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [11672751](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:11672751).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WisniewskiKleinmann1968_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WisniewskiKleinmann1968_6-1) Wisniewski, W. Z.; Kleinmann, D. E. (November 1968), "16. Multicolor photometry of Seyfert galaxies and measurement at 1.55 microns of the jet in M 87", *Astronomical Journal*, **73**: 866–867, [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1968AJ.....73..866W](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1968AJ.....73..866W), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/110721](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F110721).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AAA526_A43_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AAA526_A43_7-1) Slavcheva-Mihova, L.; Mihov, B. (February 2011), "Optical multiband surface photometry of a sample of Seyfert galaxies. I. Large-scale morphology and local environment analysis of matched Seyfert and inactive galaxy samples", *Astronomy and Astrophysics*, **526**: A43, [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[1011.1772](https://arxiv.org/abs/1011.1772), [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2011A&A...526A..43S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011A&A...526A..43S), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1051/0004-6361/200913243](https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F200913243), [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [119263271](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:119263271). See Table 1.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NED_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NED_8-1) ["NED results for object NGC 5548"](http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/), *NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database*, retrieved 2013-05-27.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AAA551_L6_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AAA551_L6_9-1) Kollatschny, W.; Zetzl, M. (March 2013), "Accretion disk wind as explanation for the broad-line region structure in NGC 5548", *Astronomy & Astrophysics*, **551**: L6, [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[1301.7704](https://arxiv.org/abs/1301.7704), [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2013A&A...551L...6K](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013A&A...551L...6K), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1051/0004-6361/201220923](https://doi.org/10.1051%2F0004-6361%2F201220923), [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [119117740](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:119117740).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AAA662_205_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AAA662_205_10-1) Bentz, Misty C.; et al. (June 2007), "NGC 5548 in a Low-Luminosity State: Implications for the Broad-Line Region", *Astronomy & Astrophysics*, **662** (1): 205–212, [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[astro-ph/0702644](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0702644), [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2007ApJ...662..205B](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007ApJ...662..205B), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/516724](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F516724), [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [14081378](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:14081378).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Seyfert1943_11-0)** Seyfert, Carl K. (January 1943), "Nuclear Emission in Spiral Nebulae", *Astrophysical Journal*, **97**: 28, [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1943ApJ....97...28S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1943ApJ....97...28S), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/144488](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F144488). See footnote 2.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BurbidgePrendergast1963_12-0)** Burbidge, E. Margaret; Burbidge, G. R.; Prendergast, K. H. (May 1963), "The Rotation and Physical Conditions in the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 7469", *Astrophysical Journal*, **137**: 1022, [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1963ApJ...137.1022B](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1963ApJ...137.1022B), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/147580](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F147580).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Tovmassian1966_13-0)** Tovmassian, H. M. (August 1966), "On the radio emission from some peculiar galaxies", *Australian Journal of Physics*, **19** (4): 565, [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1966AuJPh..19..565T](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1966AuJPh..19..565T), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1071/ph660565](https://doi.org/10.1071%2Fph660565).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-DibaiEsipovPronik1968_14-0)** Dibai, É. A.; Esipov, V. F.; Pronik, V. I. (February 1968), "The Nucleus of the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 5548", *Soviet Astronomy*, **11**: 553, [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1968SvA....11..553D](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1968SvA....11..553D).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Crenshaw2009_15-0)** Crenshaw, D. M.; et al. (June 2009), "Mass Outflow in the Seyfert 1 Galaxy NGC 5548", *The Astrophysical Journal*, **698** (1): 281–292, [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[0902.2310](https://arxiv.org/abs/0902.2310), [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2009ApJ...698..281C](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009ApJ...698..281C), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1088/0004-637X/698/1/281](https://doi.org/10.1088%2F0004-637X%2F698%2F1%2F281), [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [62879296](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:62879296).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ApJ639_46_16-0)** Suganuma, Masahiro; et al. (March 2006), "Reverberation Measurements of the Inner Radius of the Dust Torus in Nearby Seyfert 1 Galaxies", *The Astrophysical Journal*, **639** (1): 46–63, [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[astro-ph/0511697](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0511697), [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2006ApJ...639...46S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006ApJ...639...46S), [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/499326](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F499326), [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [7671684](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:7671684).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [NGC 5548](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:NGC_5548).

- NGC 5548 on [WikiSky](/source/WikiSky): [DSS2](http://www.wikisky.org/?object=NGC+5548&img_source=DSS2), [SDSS](http://www.wikisky.org/?object=NGC+5548&img_source=SDSS), [GALEX](http://www.wikisky.org/?object=NGC+5548&img_source=GALEX), [IRAS](http://www.wikisky.org/?object=NGC+5548&img_source=IRAS), [Hydrogen α](http://www.wikisky.org/?object=NGC+5548&img_source=HALPHA), [X-Ray](http://www.wikisky.org/?object=NGC+5548&img_source=RASS), [Astrophoto](http://www.wikisky.org/?object=NGC+5548&img_source=IMG_all), [Sky Map](http://www.wikisky.org/?object=NGC+5548), [Articles and images](http://www.wikisky.org/starview?object=NGC+5548)

- ["NGC 5548: Chandra Reads the Cosmic Bar Code of Gas Around a Giant Black Hole"](http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2000/0170/), *Chandra X-ray Observatory*, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, February 20, 2009, retrieved 2013-05-27.

- ["Seyfert Galaxy NGC 5548 versus normal galaxy NGC 3277"](http://www.astr.ua.edu/gifimages/ngc5548.html), *UA astronomical image gallery*, The University of Alabama, July 1999, retrieved 2013-05-27.

v t e New General Catalogue 5001 to 6000 5001 to 5100 5001 5002 5003 5004 5005 5008 5010 5011 5018 5020 5023 5024 5026 5030 5032 5033 5034 5042 5050 5053 5054 5055 5068 5078 5084 5085 5087 5090 5091 5098 5101 to 5200 5101 5102 5112 5114 5121 5128 5135 5139 5144 5161 5162/5174 5164 5170 5177 5185 5189 5194 5195 5198 5201 to 5300 5201 5204 5221 5223 5229 5235 5236 5238 5247 5248 5251 5252 5253 5256 5257 5258 5260 5264 5272 5273 5278 5279 5281 5286 5291 5300 5301 to 5400 5307 5308 5314 5315 5316 5322 5331 5334 5335 5343 5363 5364/5317 5371 5377 5384 5390 5394 5395 5398 5401 to 5500 5406 5408 5410 5416 5419 5422 5426 and 5427 5448 5455 5457 5460 5461 5466 5468 5470 5471 5473 5474 5475 5477 5483 5485 5486 5490 5493 5495 5500 5501 to 5600 5501 5502/5503 5504 5506 5508 5514 5516 5523 5529 5530 5532 5533 5535 5539 5541 5544 5545 5548 5557 5559 5566 5575/5578 5579 5582 5584 5585 5591 5597 5601 to 5700 5601 5605 5609 5613 5614 5615 5617 5619 5626 5629 5630 5634 5640 5641 5643 5653 5662 5665 5668 5676 5678 5679 5682 5683 5694 5701 to 5800 5701 5705 5713 5714 5719/5658 5722 5728 5746 5749 5750 5752 5753 5754 5755 5765 5772 5774 5775 5777 5778 5784 5790 5792 5793 5801 to 5900 5806 5820 5821 5822 5823 5824 5829 5837 5838 5844 5846 5850 5854 5856 5857 5861 5866 5875 5876 5879 5882 5885 5886 5890 5896 5897 5898 5901 to 6000 5904 5906 5907 5910 5915 5917 5920 5921 5925 5927 5928 5929 5930 5936 5939 5940 5949 5953 5957 5962 5963 5964 5965 5966 5970 5979 5980 5982 5985 5986 5988 5996 5999 6000 Astronomical catalog List of NGC objects 5001–6000

v t e Constellation of Boötes Boötes in Chinese astronomy Boötes Void List of stars in Boötes Stars Bayer α (Arcturus) β (Nekkar) γ (Seginus) δ (Qigong) ε (Izar, Pulcherrima) ζ η (Muphrid) θ ι κ λ (Xuange) μ1 (Alkalurops) μ2 ν1 ν2 ξ ο π ρ (Kalasungsang) σ (Genghe) τ (Tepiamenit) υ φ χ ψ ω Flamsteed 1 2 3 6 (e) 7 9 10 11 12 (d) 13 14 15 18 20 22 (f) 24 (g) 26 31 32 33 34 (Alrumh) 38 (Merga) 39 40 44 (Quadrans) 45 (c) 46 (b) 47 (k) 50 Variable R S T RX ZZ AB BL BP BX BY CE CH CI CN CP CR CX CY (101 Vir) DE EK HN HP HD 118508 118889 122563 125040 125351 (A) 125658 126128 126129 126141 126200 126271 127304 127334 127726 128093 128198 129132 129357 130084 130603 130917 131040 131473 131496 (Arcalís) 132029 132406 132563 134064 134335 135438 135530 135944 141399 Other 2MASS J15031961+2525196 CFBDSIR 1458+10 Gliese 526 HAT-P-4 LHS 2924 PSR J1544+4937 SDSS J1416+1348 SDSS J1433+1011 TVLM 513-46546 WASP-14 WD 1425+540 ZTF J153932.16+502738.8 Exoplanets HAT-P-4b HD 128311 b c HD 132406 b HD 136418 b (Awasis) τ Boötis b TOI-1853 b WASP-14b Star clusters NGC 5466 Galaxies NGC 5008 5248 5251 5416 5490 5500 5504 5508 5514 5523 5529 5532 5533 5535 5539 5541 5544 5545 5548 5557 5559 5562 5579 5582 5591 5601 5603 5609 5613 5614 5615 5624 5629 5630 5641 5642 5653 5665 5676 5681 5682 5683 5698 5714 5722 5752 5753 5754 5755 5772 5778 5784 5790 5820 5821 5829 5837 5857 5875 5876 5886 5888 5896 5929 5930 5966 Numbered I II III Other 3C 295 3C 299 3C 300 3C 303 3C 315 4C 19.44 4C +26.42 7C 1354+2552 Abell 2009 BCG Arp 302 B2 1420+32 B2 1441+26 CEERS-2112 CEERS-93316 CEERS2-588 CLASS B1359+154 Cloverleaf quasar DDO 190 EGS-zs8-1 EGS-z11-R0 EGSY8p7 H1426+428 IC 4397 IC 4461 IC 4462 IC 4481 IC 4516 IRAS 13349+2438 IRAS 14394+5332 IRAS 15206+3342 LEDA 2108986 MACS 1423-z7p64 MACS J1447.4+0827 BCG Maisie's Galaxy Markarian 463 Markarian 471 Markarian 478 MS 1455.0+2232 BCG MS 1512-cB58 NVSS J141343+433945 OQ 172 OQ 530 PG 1411+442 PG 1543+489 PGC 93125 PGC 1470080 PKS 1345+125 PKS 1413+135 QSO B1422+202 RBS 1467 RGZ J145001.5+144747 RGZ J145039.8+441829 SBS 1415+437 SDSS J135646.10+102609.0 SDSS J1430+2303 Teacup galaxy UGC 8669 UGC 9128 UGC 9425 UGC 9684 UGC 9796 ULAS J1342+0928 VV 191 Galaxy clusters Abell 1795 Abell 1991 BoRG-58 IDCS J1426.5+3508 Astronomical events GRB 990123 GRB 080319B SCP 06F6 SN 2003fg SN 2005bc SN 2020tlf Category

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