2MASX J12211289+1822566, IRAS 12186+1839, LEDA 39907, UGC 7405, UZC J122112.6+182256, Z 99-23, VCC 460.[7]
NGC 4293 is a lenticular galaxy in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices. It was discovered by English astronomer William Herschel on March 14, 1784, who described it as "large, extended, resolvable, 6 or 7′ long". This galaxy is positioned to the north-northwest of the star 11 Comae Berenices and is a member of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.[5] It is assumed to lie at the same distance as the Virgo Cluster itself: around 54 million light years away.[4] The galaxy spans an apparent area of 5.3 × 3.1 arc minutes.[5]
The morphological classification of NGC 4293 is (R)SB(s)0/a, with the SB0/a indicating this has just distinguishable tightly wound spiral arms with a bar structure at the nucleus. An '(s)' notation means that this galaxy does not have a ring-like structure around the nucleus.[6][8] Star formation within NGC 4293 is only taking place within a confined region at the center of the galaxy.[9] The outer stellar disk of the galaxy appears disturbed, suggesting some form of gravitational interaction.[10]
This is a common type of active galaxy known as a LINER, which means that the optical spectrum is dominated by emission lines from gases in low energy ionization states. The activity may be the result of a supermassive black hole (SMBH) in the nucleus that is undergoing a low rate of matter accretion. The estimated mass of such an SMBH is 5.9×107M⊙.[11] Radio emission from thermal activity has been detected from the proximity of this object.[12]
^Falcón-Barroso, J.; et al. (December 2009), "Galaxy Evolution: Emerging Insights and Future Challenges ASP Conference Series", in Jogee, S.; Marinova, I.; Hao, L.; et al. (eds.), Galactic Bulges: the SAURON Perspective, vol. 419, Society of the Pacific, 2009, p. 131, Bibcode:2009ASPC..419..131F.
^Cortés, J. R.; et al. (June 2006), "XI IAU Regional Latin American Meeting of Astronomy", in Infante, L.; Rubio, M. (eds.), Stellar and Ionized Gas Kinematics of Peculiar Virgo Cluster Galaxies, vol. 26, Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica, p. 189, arXiv:astro-ph/0602627, Bibcode:2006RMxAC..26Q.189C.
