NGC 3521 is a flocculent[4]intermediate spiral galaxy located around 26[4] million light-years away from Earth in the constellationLeo. It has a morphological classification of SAB(rs)bc,[3] which indicates that it is a spiral galaxy with a trace of a bar structure (SAB), a weak inner ring (rs), and moderate to loosely wound arm structure (bc).[5] The bar structure is difficult to discern, both because it has a low ellipticity and the galaxy is at a high inclination[3] of 72.7° to the line of sight.[4] The relatively bright bulge is nearly 3/4 the size of the bar, which may indicate the former is quite massive.[3] The nucleus of this galaxy is classified as an HII LINER,[6] as there is an H II region at the core and the nucleus forms a low-ionization nuclear emission-line region.
References
^ abSkrutskie, Michael F.; Cutri, Roc M.; Stiening, Rae; Weinberg, Martin D.; Schneider, Stephen E.; Carpenter, John M.; Beichman, Charles A.; Capps, Richard W.; Chester, Thomas; Elias, Jonathan H.; Huchra, John P.; Liebert, James W.; Lonsdale, Carol J.; Monet, David G.; Price, Stephan; Seitzer, Patrick; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Gizis, John E.; Howard, Elizabeth V.; Evans, Tracey E.; Fowler, John W.; Fullmer, Linda; Hurt, Robert L.; Light, Robert M.; Kopan, Eugene L.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; McCallon, Howard L.; Tam, Robert; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Wheelock, Sherry L. (1 February 2006). "The Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS)". The Astronomical Journal. 131 (2): 1163–1183. Bibcode:2006AJ....131.1163S. doi:10.1086/498708. ISSN0004-6256. S2CID18913331.