Right ascension 09 24 18.549 Redshift 1687 ± 8 km/s Type (R)SB(r)0 Magnitude 11.8 Apparent magnitude (V) 11.8 | Declination +34° 30′ 48.16″ Distance 82.8 Mly (25.4 Mpc) Apparent size (V) 4′.3 × 3′.8 Constellation Leo Minor | |
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Similar NGC 3486, NGC 3504, NGC 3432, NGC 3344, NGC 2787 | ||
NGC 2859 is a barred lenticular galaxy located some 83 million light years away in the constellation Leo Minor. The morphological classification is (R)SB(r)0+, where the S0+ notation indicates a well-defined physical structure that is lacking in visible spiral arms. It has a strong bar (B) of the "ansae" type, which means it grows brighter or wider toward the tips. A faint, secondary bar is positioned at nearly a right angle to the main bar. These features are surrounded by a weak inner ring (r) that appears diffuse. The outer region of the galaxy hosts a prominent, detached ring (R) that includes a series of blue-hued knots along the eastern side.
The central supermassive black hole is an estimated 105 million times the mass of the Sun. The nucleus is tentatively classified as a transition type T2:, with no indication of activity.