NGC 2445
NGC 2445 is a peculiar ring-shaped galaxy in the constellation Lynx. It lies about 200 million light-years away and is roughly 100,000 light-years across. The galaxy was discovered by Édouard Stephan in 1877. It is interacting with its neighbor, NGC 2444, which distorts its shape and triggers new star formation. A bridge of young blue stars connects the two galaxies, while a ring of star clusters surrounds the nucleus.
The ring is about 60 million years old, with newer stars forming in the ring (about 2–8 million years old) and even younger stars (1–2 million years) appearing closer to the center. Observations across radio and infrared wavelengths show ongoing star formation and structures linking the ring to the nucleus. A large shell of hydrogen lies far out, and a filament toward the pair suggests tidal tails or a superbubble.
In 2016, a Type II supernova, SN 2016bam, was observed between the galaxies near an H II region in NGC 2445. NGC 2445 and NGC 2444 form Arp 143, part of the LGG 148 galaxy group, which also includes several other nearby galaxies.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:57 (CET).