ESO 55-35 - more obscurity

[Stevec35]

This is an object I know nothing about except that it is classified as a galaxy but it looks like a nebula. I was asked to take an image of it and this is the result. Perhaps it is obscured behind dust.

Does anyone know anything else about it?

Cheers

Steve

http://members.pcug.org.au/~stevec/eso55-35_STXL16200_RC14.htm

[RickS]

Very interesting target, Steve. Odd looking for a galaxy indeed! Not a lot of stuff comes up on NED so I guess there's not much known about it:

http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/nph-objsearch?objname=IRAS%20Z04430-6801&extend=no&out_csys=Equatorial&out_equinox=J2000.0&obj_sort=RA+or+Longitude&of=pre_text&zv_breaker=30000.0&list_limit=5&img_stamp=YES

Cheers,
Rick.

[Stevec35]

Thanks Rick. I just hope I haven't stuffed anything up.

[RickS]

Don't think so, Steve. It's definitely an unusual reddish colour:

http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/imgdata?objname=ESO+055-+G+035&hconst=73.0&omegam=0.27&omegav=0.73&corr_z=1

Cheers,
Rick.

[billdan]

Unusual Object, has it been confirmed that its not a galaxy? If it is a galaxy that's a lot of red shift.

[Stevec35]

Not confirmed as far as I know. I suppose it's possible it's a bright galaxy obscured by dust hence only emitting in red but it seems more likely it's a nebula I think.

[Atmos]

It does look more nebula like than galaxy. I’d imagine that a galaxy reddened by dust should show more colour variation and a redshifted galaxy that much shouldn’t be that big.

[strongmanmike]

Nah, surely not a galaxy..? How could it be all Ha :shrug: which is different to reddening from dust, can dust ever only let Ha through? must be a neb.

Mike

[Stevec35]

Yeah - quite agree guys. It's definitely some sort of nebula. I just threw the reddening idea in as a very slight possibility. Interestingly enough it appears in three separate galaxy catalogs so it's hard to understand how they could have got it so wrong.

[rally]

Steve,

Looked it up in Aladin
Its labelled as a Galaxy
Their photo shows it to be much less red than your image

Ive attached a couple of screen shots of your image on left and theirs on the right normal and zoomed right in
I ran out of time to check the angular dimensions in both your image and the Aladin data, but that would be my next step - its supposed to be 1.4x1.1arc mins
Could there be a galaxy in the middle of dim nebula ?
Or have you just enhanced the galactic glow and increased its red by the enhanced Ha contribution ?

[Stevec35]

As well as Aladin There are two other catalogs (PGC and IRAS) that call it a galaxy. My RGB image (without the Ha) shows the same dimensions as my final image so I don't think the Ha has distorted the final result. I don't know the answer to your question. My UK colleague who prompted me to image it in the first place is convinced it's a nebula.

[rally]

Assuming its a Neb and if its not named . . . then its now the Broken Heart Nebula !!!
Its got a chunk bitten out of the top left side !
Can you send me an original image - I'll look at it more closely and measure it up
PM'd ya

[Stevec35]

Will do but I'm having other problems at the moment so it may take a little while