NGC 4710 is an edge-on lenticular galaxy in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices. It was discovered on March 21, 1784 by German-British astronomer William Herschel.[7] This galaxy has a B-band visual magnitude of 11.60 and an angular size of 3.0′ × 0.8′.[3] It is located at a distance of 54.5 ± 3.6 million light-years (16.7 ± 1.1 Mpc) from the Milky Way,[4] and is receding with a heliocentric radial velocity of 1,129 km/s.[3] This is a member of the Virgo Cluster, with a projected offset of ~6° from the cluster center and a cluster crossing time of around two billion years.[8]
The morphological classification of NGC 4710 is S0 or SA(r)0,[9] which indicates this is an unbarred lenticular galaxy[8] (SA) with an inner ring structure (r). It is inclined at an angle of 86° to the plane of the sky, with the major axis aligned along a position angle of 207°.[10] NGC 4710 has a relatively high gas abundance with a dusty nucleus. The stellar velocity distribution is characteristic of galaxies with a small bulge. Like the Milky Way, it has an X-shaped bulge which is a probable bar structure; hence it is likely a barred lenticular.[9][11] The star formation rate is 0.11±0.02 M☉·yr−1.[10] NGC 4710 possesses both thin and thick discs.[12]
Welch, G. A.; Mitchell, G. F. (June 1994). "A Study of Molecular Gas in the Center of the S0 Galaxy NGC 4710". The Astrophysical Journal. 427: 770. Bibcode:1994ApJ...427..770W. doi:10.1086/174183.
Sage, L. J. (November 1990). "The properties and origins of molecular gas in the lenticular galaxies NGC 404, 4710 and 5195". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 239: 125–136. Bibcode:1990A&A...239..125S.
^ abWrobel, J. M.; Kenney, Jeffrey D. P. (November 1992). "Nuclear Molecular Gas in the Virgo Cluster S0 Galaxy NGC 4710". Astrophysical Journal. 399: 94. Bibcode:1992ApJ...399...94W. doi:10.1086/171905.