NGC3509 12" Second Light

[theodog (Jeff)]

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

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

[glenc (Glen)]

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

[Matty P (Matt)]

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 (Clive)]

ditto for me, nice to see new stuff.

[theodog (Jeff)]

Originally Posted by Matty P

What mag are the background galaxies?

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

Originally Posted by sjastro

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

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