NGC 5371

NGC 5371 is a face-on spiral galaxy in the northern constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered on January 14, 1788 by German-British astronomer William Herschel. The nearby NGC 5390 appears to be a duplicate entry for NGC 5371, since there is nothing at the former's position.^[7] NGC 5371 has an apparent magnitude of 11.3 and an angular size of 4.4′ × 3.5′.^[5] It is located at a distance of 129.5 ± 32.4 million light-years (39.70 ± 9.92 Mpc) from the Milky Way,^[4] and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 2,552 km/s. The galaxy appears to be weakly interacting with the nearby, equidistant Hickson 68 group of galaxies, and thus may be a member.^[3] Collectively, they are sometimes dubbed the Big Lick galaxy group, after the city of Roanoke, Virginia.^[8]

NGC 5371
NGC 5371 imaged by a 24 inch telescope
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Canes Venatici
Right ascension	13h 55m 39.9s[1]
Declination	+40° 27′ 42.4″[1]
Redshift	0.00850±0.00019[2]
Heliocentric radial velocity	2,552±1 km/s[3]
Distance	129.5 ± 32.4 Mly (39.70 ± 9.92 Mpc)[4]
Apparent magnitude (V)	11.3[5]
Characteristics
Type	SAB(rs)bc[5]
Mass	1.86×1011[4] (baryonic) M☉
Apparent size (V)	4.4′ × 3.5′[5]
Other designations
NGC 5371 and 5390, UGC 8846, PGC 49514[6]

The morphological classification of NGC 5371 in the De Vaucouleurs system is SAB(rs)bc,^[5] indicating a weakly barred spiral galaxy (SAB) with a transitional inner ring structure (rs), and moderately wound spiral arms (bc). The galactic plane is inclined at an angle of 45°±5° to the plane of the sky, with the major axis oriented along a position angle of 195°±3°.^[9] This is classified as a LINER-type galaxy and may be in a post-starburst phase. There is an extended or double source of X-ray emission.^[10]

Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 5371. Type II-L supernova SN 1994Y was spotted on August 19, 1994, reaching peak B magnitude of 14.2 on August 30.^[11] Type IIb supernova SN 2020bio was discovered January 29, 2020. The progenitor may have undergone extensive mass loss, shedding nearly all of its hydrogen envelope.^[12]