In this article we want to address the topic of Arp 299, which has been the subject of numerous studies, debates and controversies throughout history. Arp 299 has had a significant impact in various areas, from politics to the economy, to society in general. The relevance of Arp 299 has been such that it has aroused the interest of academics, experts and researchers, who have dedicated numerous efforts to trying to understand its influence and scope. Throughout these pages, we will explore the different facets of Arp 299, analyzing its origins, its evolution over time and its impact today. We hope that this article can contribute to shedding light on a topic as complex and significant as Arp 299.
| Arp 299 | |
|---|---|
Arp 299 with NGC 3690 (left) & IC 694 (right), imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Ursa Major |
| Right ascension | 11h 28m 33.13s |
| Declination | +58° 33′ 58.0″ |
| Redshift | 0.010 |
| Distance | 130 Mly |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 11 |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SBm pec. / IBm pec. |
| Apparent size (V) | 2.4′ × 1.9′ |
| Notable features | interacting galaxies |
| Other designations | |
| IC 694, NGC 3690, VV 118, Mrk 171 | |
Arp 299 (parts of it also known as IC 694 and NGC 3690) is a pair of colliding galaxies approximately 134 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. Both of the galaxies involved in the collision are barred irregular galaxies. NGC 3690 was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 18 March 1790.[1][2]
It is not completely clear which object is historically called IC 694. According to some sources, the small appendage more than an arcminute northwest of the main pair is actually IC 694, not the primary (eastern) companion.[3][4]
The interaction of the two galaxies in Arp 299 produced young powerful starburst regions similar to those seen in II Zw 96.[5]
Since 1992, fifteen supernovae have been detected in Arp 299:
| Host | Supernova | Type | Magnitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 3690 | SN 1992bu[6] | unknown | 16.6 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 1993G[7] | Type II | 16.6 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 1998T[8] | Type Ib | 15.4 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 1999D[9] | Type II | 15.6 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 2018lrd[10] | Type Ib | 17.1 |
| NGC 3690 | AT 2018mel[11] | Unknown | 16.5 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 2019lqo[12] | Type II | 18.3 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 2020fkb[13] | Type Ib | 17.8 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 2022gnp[14] | Type Ib | 17.7 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 2023wrk[15] | Type Ia | 18.1 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 2024gzk[16] | Type IIb | 17.8 |
| NGC 3690 | SN 2024agfq[17] | type IIn | 19.05 |
| IC 694 | SN 2005U[18] | Type II | 16.2 |
| IC 694 | SN 2010O[19][20][21] | Type Ib | 15.6 |
| IC 694 | SN 2010P[22] | Type Ib/IIb[23] | 18.3 |