NGC 1409 is a quiescent[4]lenticular galaxy in the equatorialconstellation of Taurus. It was discovered by the German-born astronomer William Herschel on January 6, 1785.[6] NGC 1409 is located in close proximity to the smaller Seyfert galaxyNGC 1410, and the two are strongly interacting. Their respective nuclei have a separation of just 23 kly, and they share a diffuse stellar envelope with a radius extending out to 49 kly.[4]
The morphological classification of this galaxy most closely matches type SB0, which indicates a barred lenticular galaxy. There is a conspicuous pipeline of dust and gas being funneled to NGC 1409 from NGC 1410. This lane has a typical width of 330 ly, passing to the north in front of NGC 1409 and then behind, becoming denser toward the galactic core. It has an estimated mass of 3×108M☉ and is transferring mass at the estimated rate of 1.1–1.4 M☉ yr–1. However, there is no indications of recent star formation in NGC 1409 from this incoming material.[4]
^ abSkrutskie, 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)". The Astronomical Journal. 131 (2): 1163–1183. Bibcode:2006AJ....131.1163S. doi:10.1086/498708. ISSN0004-6256. S2CID18913331.
