Minkowski's Object (also known as LEDA 73957 or PGC 73957) is a dwarf irregular galaxy located in the constellation Cetus.
Characteristics It is located in the path of the radio jet of NGC 541 and is also located 45 arcseconds northeast of it. There is strong evidence that the jet has caused a starburst in Minkowski's Object. There is a H I region downstream from Minkowski's Object with a mass of that straddles the jet at the point where the jet changes direction. At least 20 regions with star clusters and associated H II regions have been detected in Minkowski's Object. The stellar population in Minkowski's Object is dominated by stars formed in a single event 7.5 million years ago. The current starbirth rate is 0.52 per year.
Origin Although it has been proposed that Minkowski's Object was a dwarf galaxy that happened to pass through the radio jet of NGC 541, it is more probable that the H I region was warm intergalactic gas that was cooled by the jet, resulting in star formation, a model that has been reproduced by computer simulations.
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