NGC 3486 is a face-on Spiral Galaxy in the Constellation of Leo Minor. The distance is roughly 33 million light years and it has a diameter of 66,500 light years. There is data showing that NGC 3486 has an active nucleus leading to its classification as a Seyfert Type II galaxy. The galaxy has a small bright nucleus in a short weak bar that is surrounded by a knotty ring of HII star forming regions. The outer disk of the galaxy has many filamentary, branching arms that on closer inspection are seen to consist of spiral fragments that can only be traced for short distances before their surface brightness becomes so low that the outer features are lost. In these outer regions, the HII region content that defines the path of the spiral substantially decreases. The overall spiral pattern is very regular. The pattern starts at the rim of the high-surface-brightness inner ring.
Dreyer's description from the New General Catalog(NGC): Considerably bright, considerably large, round, gradually much brighter middle.
George Normandin, KAS
May 3rd, 2008