CACrown ArchivesThe cinema collection
Menu
Research dossier · General Reference

NGC 2770

spiral galaxy in the constellation Lynx

Cross-disciplinary reference desk with index cards, atlas, dictionary and catalogue
General referenceInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 3, 2026
Entity authorityQ817161
Source-derived summary

NGC 2770 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Lynx, near the northern constellation border with Cancer. It was discovered by German-born astronomer William Herschel on December 7, 1785. J. L. E. Dreyer described it as, "faint, large, much extended 150°, mottled but not resolved, 2 stars to north". NGC 2770 was the target for the first binocular image produced by the Large Binocular Telescope.

The morphological classification of SBc indicates a barred spiral with moderately-wound arms. The physical properties of this galaxy are similar to those of the Milky Way. The combined mass of stars in the galaxy is estimated at 2.1×1010 M☉, and it has a star formation rate of ~1.1 M☉ y−1. There are no apparent perturbations of the galaxy due to suspected interaction with the companion galaxy, NGC 2770B.

Supernovae

Four supernovae have been observed in NGC 2770 within a twenty years span. This high rate is considered anomalous for an ordinary galaxy. The explanation may lie in a recently enhanced star formation rate due to interaction with a companion galaxy.

Editorial summary

This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “NGC 2770” as spiral galaxy in the constellation Lynx. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.

Editorial reviewA dependable orientation record for establishing vocabulary, names and a first evidence trail. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1785, 1010—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. The account is most persuasive where spiral, galaxy and constellation can be independently traced.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as spiral galaxy in the constellation Lynx. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.

Evidence profile

Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 3, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q817161. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1785 and 1010.

Critical limits

The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

Best used for
  • Subject orientation
  • Search vocabulary
  • Locating named sources
Verify next

The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “NGC 2770”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow NGC 2770 primary sources, NGC 2770 archive and spiral research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “NGC 2770”?
  2. Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
  3. What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Subject index

Search terms from this dossier

Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from NGC 2770” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.