1997/10/22 by Christopher J. Conselice · 2 citations
Arts and Humanities · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · Psychology · #Astrophysics #Asymmetry #Elliptical galaxy #Facial symmetry #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Geometry #History of Science and Medicine #Hubble sequence #Mathematics #Physics #Psychology #Quantum mechanics #Reflection symmetry #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Symmetry (geometry) #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/134004
Accepted for Publication in PASP; five figures
arxiv created 1997/10/22 · openalex publication_date 1997/11/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The structural symmetry of forty-three face-on galaxy images in the R(650 nm) and J(450 nm) bands are measured to determine the usefulness of symmetry as a morphological parameter. Each galaxy image is rotated by 180° and subtracted from the original to obtain a quantitative value for its structural symmetry. The symmetry numbers computed for the sample are then compared with RC3 morphological types, color & absolute blue magnitudes. A strong correlation between color and symmetry is found, and the RC3 Hubble sequence is found to be one of increasing asymmetry. The use of symmetry as a morphological parameter, and the possible causes of the asymmetries are discussed.