NGC 6861 is a

lenticular galaxy A lenticular galaxy (denoted S0) is a type of galaxy intermediate between an elliptical (denoted E) and a spiral galaxy in galaxy morphological classification schemes. It contains a large-scale disc but does not have large-scale spiral arms. L ...

located in the constellation

Telescopium Telescopium is a minor constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere, one of twelve named in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille and one of several depicting scientific instruments. Its name is a Latinized for ...

. It is the second-brightest object in the constellation. Unlike most lenticular galaxies, which tend to be mostly devoid of both gas and dust, NGC 6861 exhibits a thick obscuring ring of dust around the nucleus where star formation is occurring. The galaxy was discovered by Scottish astronomer

James Dunlop James Dunlop FRSE (31 October 1793 – 22 September 1848) was a Scottish astronomer, noted for his work in Australia. He was employed by Sir Thomas Brisbane to work as astronomer's assistant at his private observatory, once located at Paramat ...

, in 1826. NGC 6861 is interacting with NGC 6868, and it is predicted that they will eventually merge.

References

External links

* Lenticular galaxies Telescopium 6861 {{lenticular-galaxy-stub