NGC3987 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation of Leo. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is , which corresponds to a Hubble distance of . However, 23 non-redshift measurements give a closer distance of . It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 6 April 1785.
NGC 3987 has an active galactic nucleus, i.e. it has a compact region at the center of a galaxy that emits a significant amount of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum, with characteristics indicating that this luminosity is not produced by the stars. In addition, it is a LINER galaxy, i.e. a galaxy whose nucleus has an emission spectrum characterized by broad lines of weakly ionized atoms.
Holm 308 and NGC 3987 group NGC 3987, , , and NGC 3997 are listed together as Holm 308 in Erik Holmberg's A Study of Double and Multiple Galaxies Together with Inquiries into some General Metagalactic Problems, published in 1937.
However, according to A. M. Garcia, NGC 3987 is the largest galaxy in a group that bears its name. The NGC 3987 group (also known as LGG 261) is thought to have at least five galaxies, including NGC 4000, NGC 4005, , and .
Supernovae Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 3987: SN2001V (TypeIa, mag. 16) was discovered by P. Berlind on 19 February 2001. Later analysis concluded that this supernova was overluminous, and its spectral features indicate it might be a SN1999aa-like object. SN2025msx (TypeIc-BL, mag. 18.914) was discovered by ATLAS on 1 June 2025.
See also List of NGC objects (3001–4000)
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