NGC 5597 is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation of Libra. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is , which corresponds to a Hubble distance of . However, one non-redshift measurement gives a much closer distance estimate of . It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 14 May 1784.
NGC 5597 is a Seyfert I galaxy, i.e. it has a quasar-like nucleus with very high surface brightnesses whose spectra reveal strong, high-ionisation emission lines, but unlike quasars, the host galaxy is clearly detectable.
Pair of galaxies
NGC 5597 and are listed together as Holm 638 in Erik Holmberg's A Study of Double and Multiple Galaxies Together with Inquiries into some General Metagalactic Problems, published in 1937. The two galaxies are also listed together as VV 446 in part II of the Atlas and Catalogue of Interacting Galaxies.
Supernovae Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 5597: SN 1981E (TypeII, mag. 17) was discovered by Marina Wischnjewsky on 29 May 1981. SN 2012es (TypeIIb, mag. 16.3) was discovered by on 12 August 2012.
See also List of NGC objects (5001–6000)
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