NGC 326

NGC 326 is a dumbbell galaxy in the constellation Pisces. It was discovered on August 24, 1865 by Heinrich d'Arrest. It was described by Dreyer as "faint, a little extended, 9th or 10th magnitude star to southeast."^[2]

NGC 326
NGC 326 with DECam and with the Very Large Array radio sky survey called VLASS (orange part)
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Constellation	Pisces
Right ascension	00h 58m 22.7s[1]
Declination	+26° 51′ 55″[1]
Redshift	0.047400[1]
Heliocentric radial velocity	14,210 km/s[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	14.33[1]
Characteristics
Type	E
Apparent size (V)	1.4' × 1.4'[1]
Other designations
UGC 00601, CGCG 480-026, MCG +04-03-025, 4C +26.03, B2 0055+26, PGC 3482, PKS B0055+265, TXS 0055+265.[1]

Background

X-shaped (or "winged") radio galaxies are a class of extragalactic radio source that exhibit two, low-surface-brightness radio lobes (the "wings") oriented at an angle to the active, or high-surface-brightness, lobes. Both sets of lobes pass symmetrically through the center of the elliptical galaxy that is the source of the lobes, giving the radio galaxy an X-shaped morphology as seen on radio maps.^[3]

Study of the galaxy

NGC 326 is a radio galaxy; in fact, it is one of the most prominent X-shaped galaxies ever observed. Several studies have been conducted to try to explain its morphology through either fluid motion or reorientation of the jet axis. The Chandra X-ray Observatory examined the emissions of the galaxy. The study revealed several features, including a high-temperature front that might indicate a shock, high-temperate knots around the rim of the radio emission, and a cavity associated with the eastern wing.^[3][4]