NGC3509 12" Second Light

[theodog]

Hi All,
This object is also known as Arp335.
I propose "Sperm-cell" galaxy.:shrug:

3x10min L-darks
1x10min 2x2binned RGB-darks
Through 12"

[glenc]

Those background galaxies must be pretty faint. NGC 3509 is mag 13.8.

[Matty P]

A nice capture Jeff.

What mag are the background galaxies?

[Ric]

Great capture Jeff, that galaxy certainly is an unusual one.

Cheers

[sjastro]

That's an interesting object. Good to see something off the beaten track.

Steven

[Alchemy]

ditto for me, nice to see new stuff.:)

[theodog]

I couldn't find any in my catalogues, however, using Guide and astrometry in Maxim the anonymous seem to be around 18th Mag.



Thanks all. I enjoy looking for the unusual. The Arp Catalogue of unusual galaxies has plenty. Many are to far north however:(.

[Karlsson]

Attached is a CdC map of the area with all the galaxies the PGC comes up with, some labeled with their listed magnitude. There are many fainter galaxies visible in Jeff's image though...

[ngcles]

Hi Theodog,

Great image -- loved it. Congratulations.

I observed this galaxy on 06 April 2008 at Mudgee under an excellent sky with my 18" and these were the notes:

x185 27' TF

NGC 3509 Arp 335 Multi-Galaxy Sys *
RA: 11h 04m 23.6s Dec: +04° 49' 43"
Mag: 13.5 (P) S.B.: --- B-V: --- Size: 2.3'x1.1' Class: SA(s)bc pec
P.A.: 43 Inclination: --- R.V.: +7636 Source: RC3 *

This is a really peculiar object as it appears on the DSS, but no so much of that is visible in the ep. In a very blank field. There are 2 mag 11.5 *s on the field-stop to the NW and SW but little else brighter than mag 12.5. Appears to be elong in PA 30, 1.75' x 10". The nucleus is off-set to the SE flank slightly within the halo, but centred tip-to-tip. A longish streak of LSB and indistinct tips growing weakly to centre and at centre is an ill-defined 5-10" spot weakly brighter than the halo.

To answer some other questions asked, I've attached a Megastar map which plots the galaxies from the Mitchell catalog that are nearby to NGC 3507 and some (most) are shown in your image . Here is the info on them:



MAC 1103+0453
Glxy 16.5 0.5x 0.2' 141 MAC 11 03 18.1 +04 53 35

MAC 1103+0458
Glxy 16.5 0.4x 0.1' 57 MAC 11 03 18.8 +04 58 59

MAC 1104+0451A
Glxy 17.0 0.4x 0.2' 52 MAC 11 04 01.9 +04 52 00

MAC 1104+0450
Glxy 16.0 0.3x 0.3' -- MAC 11 04 07.3 +04 50 50

MAC 1104+0452A
Glxy 16.0 0.6x 0.3' 169 MAC 11 04 16.6 +04 52 09

MAC 1104+0452B
Glxy 17.0 0.5x 0.1' 126 MAC 11 04 38.6 +04 52 43

MAC 1104+0451B
Glxy 17.5 0.3x 0.1' 5 MAC 11 04 39.8 +04 51 17

MAC 1104+0500
Glxy 17.5 0.3x 0.2' 179 MAC 11 04 55.9 +05 00 30

MAC 1105+0458
Glxy 17.5 0.2x 0.1' 166 MAC 11 05 14.9 +04 58 25

MAC 1105+0456
Glxy 16.5 0.4x 0.2' 70 MAC 11 05 36.7 +04 56 20

All in the 16th to 18th mag range.

Excellent effort. I'm also happy that my note of the observation pretty accurately sums up the appearance too!

Best,

Les D
Contributing Editor
AS&T

[winensky]

Great work capturing these faint objects and thanks for the identifications as well.

[tornado33]

Nic shot indeed. I must see if I can get that one
Scott