Galaxy 0402+379

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0402+379
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Constellation: XXX
Right ascension: 04h 05m 49.2s[1]
Declination: +38° 03′ 32″[1]
Redshift: 16,500 ± 300 km/s[1]
Distance: 750 Mly (230 Mpc)[citation needed]
Type: Sy[1]
Apparent dimensions (V):
Apparent magnitude (V): 17.2[1]
Notable features:
Other designations
4C +37.11[1]
See also: Galaxy, List of galaxies


Galaxy 0402+379 is a radio galaxy and elliptical galaxy with the binary supermassive blackholes with the least separation of any directly observed binaries, as of 2006. The separation between the two is 24 light-years or 7.3 parsecs, with an orbital period of 150,000 years.

The previous directly observed least separation of supermassive binary black holes was 2,400 light-years. However quasar OJ 287 is inferred to have a binary supermassive black hole pair with an orbital period of 12 years, and thus be much closer together, however, they have not been directly observed.

The eventual collision of the pair would result in strong gravitational waves.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database. Results for 0402+379. Retrieved on November 26, 2006.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

  • Cristina Rodriguez


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