On Saturday 25th Feb 2012 at around 02:45 AEDT, Andrew Murrell brought
"Fourcade-Figueroa shred" to my attention when he dialed up ESO 270-17 on the
Argo Navis and we then allowed this object's photons to strike the mirror of the 30" f/4.5
SDM Dob which was set-up on the dark-sky lawns of the Warrumbungles Mountains
Motel at Coonabarabran.
The 30" of aperture made short work of it and my first thought was that I was looking
at just another edge-on galaxy until Andrew explained that it was part of the shredded
disk of a galaxy that had been in an interactive tussle with Centaurus A. That
explanation shone a whole new light on this remarkable object.
The first thing that strikes you then is that it is quite a way from it to Centaurus A.
However, it has had plenty of time to get to where it currently is. In the paper
that Les cited it is estimated that the interaction took place 500 million years ago.
When something this catastrophic happens to your galaxy, you could also probably
count on it happening first thing on a Monday morning as soon as you sit down to work.
Les recounts the story of winning a wager as to whether it is viewable in an 18",
so that alone should encourage more observers to give it a shot. Otherwise,
the next time the 30" comes to Ilford or a star party you are attending, ask
Lachlan or one of us to dial it up.
While you are at it, also make sure you get to have a look at the Sombrero through the 30".
The view is to die for.