NGC 3811 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Ursa Major. Its velocity with respect to the cosmic microwave background is 3,299±15 km/s, which corresponds to a Hubble distance of 158.7 ± 11.1 Mly (48.65 ± 3.41 Mpc). Additionally, 12 non-redshift measurements give a similar mean distance of 152.10 ± 12.53 Mly (46.633 ± 3.843 Mpc). It was discovered by German-British astronomer William Herschel on 9 February 1788.
NGC 3811 is a starburst galaxy. It is also a galaxy whose nucleus shines in the ultraviolet range, and is thus listed in the Markarian catalogue as Mrk 185.
Supernovae
Two supernovae have been observed in NGC 3811:
- SN 1969C (Type I, mag. 12) was discovered by Italian astronomer Leonida Rosino on 9 February 1969, and independently by Jankovits on 11 February 1969.
- SN 1971K (type unknown, mag. 16.1) was discovered by Russian amateur astronomer Piotr Grigor'evich Kulikovsky on 12 June 1971.
