apparent visual magnitude of 13.20, it is the fifth brightest galaxy within a degree of the cluster core.[8] The galaxy displays a significant radial velocity difference from the cluster as a whole, indicating that it may oscillate back-and-forth through the cluster and is now passing through the more dense core at high velocity.[8]
The
″, which corresponds to a physical radius of about 8,800 light-years (2.7 kpc). This star population is old and metal-rich, but contributes only 1% of the total galactic luminosity.[11]
IC 4051 has an unusually large population of globular clusters, comparable to a Type-cD galaxy. Most of these clusters appear metal-rich. The evolutionary picture of this galaxy suggests that it was stripped of most of its gas after the globular cluster population was formed in situ, with the gas being carried away during the early passages through the cluster core.[8] Metal-rich globulars are found within about 33,000 light-years (10 kpc) of the galactic center, while the metal-poor globulars are found further out in a halo orbiting the galaxy.[6]
SN 1950A was a
Type I supernova event that was discovered by M. L. Humason from photographic plates taken March 20 and April 11, 1950. It was positioned 13.0″ North and 1.5″ West of the galactic center of IC 4051. The event was at magnitude 17.7±0.1 on March 20.[12][13]
