ASTRO: Arp 251

After posting what I consider a really pretty open cluster, NGC 7128
here is one of Arp's least photogenic catalog entries. Big and bright
its not! You'll need the 2x enlarged view to see much detail in these
apparently extremely distant galaxies.

Arp 251 is a triple galaxy in western Cetus. Arp classed it under
Galaxies (not classifiable as S or E): Appearance of Fission. Probably
because the two spirals appear connected and "trying" to split apart.
More likely their arms overlap as seen from our point in the universe.
Arp's comment: "Outside arms diffuse and bifurcate." The northern
galaxies "bifurcated" arm appears more like a true arm and a detached
star cloud. Southern arm appears split in my shot more than Arp's for
some reason.

The northern galaxy is cataloged as 2MASX J00534840-1351148. The
Kanipe/Webb book lists it as MCG -02-03-037 but NED says this is all
three as it lists it as a triple. In any case NED has little on it, not
even a magnitude. The southern galaxy is 2MASX J00534765-1351358 and is
listed at magnitude 15.1 but that's in near infra red light (I band) and
may not say anything about its visual magnitude. The third member to
the southeast is anonymous, only being listed in the UK's automated
plate measurement catalog as APMUKS(BJ) B005119.43-140753.8 which gives
it a magnitude of 17.8 but no filter is listed. A note at NED on Arp
251 says the southern and southeastern galaxies are 16th magnitude. It
doesn't give an estimate for the brighter northern galaxy. That's the
extent of what I could find on these three galaxies -- virtually
nothing. No distance measurement, little spectral data and fuzzy
magnitude data. That's it.

The nearly edge on galaxy to the northwest is 2MASX J00533671-1349541.
It has a magnitude listed at 16.4 and a red shift distance of just over
700 million light-years. The magnitude lists no filter. It is larger
in angular size than the galaxies making up Arp 251. This could mean
they are further away but it could also mean they are smaller galaxies
in the first place and are really closer. There's no way to know. Most
of the other galaxies in the image are only listed in the APMUKS
catalog, only the one galaxy has any red shift data.

Even my The Sky database for Arp galaxies got confused and centered me
on the near edge on spiral to the upper right. I checked this with
SIMBAD and the DSS II plates which centered on a spot half way between
the two. I went with my data base without checking further so it isn't
as centered as I'd like. Also this is about 13.7 degrees south nearly
at my normal 15 south limit so seeing isn't very good. That's what I
get for moving north to get dark skies instead of New Mexico or Arizona.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10' RGB=2x10'x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME.

Rick
--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

"Rick Johnson" wrote in message
. com...
After posting what I consider a really pretty open cluster, NGC 7128
here is one of Arp's least photogenic catalog entries. Big and bright
its not! You'll need the 2x enlarged view to see much detail in these
apparently extremely distant galaxies.

Arp 251 is a triple galaxy in western Cetus. Arp classed it under
Galaxies (not classifiable as S or E): Appearance of Fission. Probably
because the two spirals appear connected and "trying" to split apart.
More likely their arms overlap as seen from our point in the universe.
Arp's comment: "Outside arms diffuse and bifurcate." The northern
galaxies "bifurcated" arm appears more like a true arm and a detached
star cloud. Southern arm appears split in my shot more than Arp's for
some reason.

The northern galaxy is cataloged as 2MASX J00534840-1351148. The
Kanipe/Webb book lists it as MCG -02-03-037 but NED says this is all
three as it lists it as a triple. In any case NED has little on it, not
even a magnitude. The southern galaxy is 2MASX J00534765-1351358 and is
listed at magnitude 15.1 but that's in near infra red light (I band) and
may not say anything about its visual magnitude. The third member to
the southeast is anonymous, only being listed in the UK's automated
plate measurement catalog as APMUKS(BJ) B005119.43-140753.8 which gives
it a magnitude of 17.8 but no filter is listed. A note at NED on Arp
251 says the southern and southeastern galaxies are 16th magnitude. It
doesn't give an estimate for the brighter northern galaxy. That's the
extent of what I could find on these three galaxies -- virtually
nothing. No distance measurement, little spectral data and fuzzy
magnitude data. That's it.

The nearly edge on galaxy to the northwest is 2MASX J00533671-1349541.
It has a magnitude listed at 16.4 and a red shift distance of just over
700 million light-years. The magnitude lists no filter. It is larger
in angular size than the galaxies making up Arp 251. This could mean
they are further away but it could also mean they are smaller galaxies
in the first place and are really closer. There's no way to know. Most
of the other galaxies in the image are only listed in the APMUKS
catalog, only the one galaxy has any red shift data.

Even my The Sky database for Arp galaxies got confused and centered me
on the near edge on spiral to the upper right. I checked this with
SIMBAD and the DSS II plates which centered on a spot half way between
the two. I went with my data base without checking further so it isn't
as centered as I'd like. Also this is about 13.7 degrees south nearly
at my normal 15 south limit so seeing isn't very good. That's what I
get for moving north to get dark skies instead of New Mexico or Arizona.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10' RGB=2x10'x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME.

Rick
--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

That is a spectacular capture, Rick. I doubt that I could ever get that one
with my scope, but I might try it some day. Keep them coming. I love your
galaxies.

George

I forgot to include Arp's image
http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level...ig_arp251.jpeg
Rick

On 6/26/2010 12:17 PM, Rick Johnson wrote:
After posting what I consider a really pretty open cluster, NGC 7128
here is one of Arp's least photogenic catalog entries. Big and bright
its not! You'll need the 2x enlarged view to see much detail in these
apparently extremely distant galaxies.

Arp 251 is a triple galaxy in western Cetus. Arp classed it under
Galaxies (not classifiable as S or E): Appearance of Fission. Probably
because the two spirals appear connected and "trying" to split apart.
More likely their arms overlap as seen from our point in the universe.
Arp's comment: "Outside arms diffuse and bifurcate." The northern
galaxies "bifurcated" arm appears more like a true arm and a detached
star cloud. Southern arm appears split in my shot more than Arp's for
some reason.

The northern galaxy is cataloged as 2MASX J00534840-1351148. The
Kanipe/Webb book lists it as MCG -02-03-037 but NED says this is all
three as it lists it as a triple. In any case NED has little on it, not
even a magnitude. The southern galaxy is 2MASX J00534765-1351358 and is
listed at magnitude 15.1 but that's in near infra red light (I band) and
may not say anything about its visual magnitude. The third member to the
southeast is anonymous, only being listed in the UK's automated plate
measurement catalog as APMUKS(BJ) B005119.43-140753.8 which gives it a
magnitude of 17.8 but no filter is listed. A note at NED on Arp 251 says
the southern and southeastern galaxies are 16th magnitude. It doesn't
give an estimate for the brighter northern galaxy. That's the extent of
what I could find on these three galaxies -- virtually nothing. No
distance measurement, little spectral data and fuzzy magnitude data.
That's it.

The nearly edge on galaxy to the northwest is 2MASX J00533671-1349541.
It has a magnitude listed at 16.4 and a red shift distance of just over
700 million light-years. The magnitude lists no filter. It is larger in
angular size than the galaxies making up Arp 251. This could mean they
are further away but it could also mean they are smaller galaxies in the
first place and are really closer. There's no way to know. Most of the
other galaxies in the image are only listed in the APMUKS catalog, only
the one galaxy has any red shift data.

Even my The Sky database for Arp galaxies got confused and centered me
on the near edge on spiral to the upper right. I checked this with
SIMBAD and the DSS II plates which centered on a spot half way between
the two. I went with my data base without checking further so it isn't
as centered as I'd like. Also this is about 13.7 degrees south nearly at
my normal 15 south limit so seeing isn't very good. That's what I get
for moving north to get dark skies instead of New Mexico or Arizona.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10' RGB=2x10'x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME.

Rick


--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Very good image Rick. One can clearly see the structure of these tiny
galaxies.

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
. com...
After posting what I consider a really pretty open cluster, NGC 7128
here is one of Arp's least photogenic catalog entries. Big and bright
its not! You'll need the 2x enlarged view to see much detail in these
apparently extremely distant galaxies.

Arp 251 is a triple galaxy in western Cetus. Arp classed it under
Galaxies (not classifiable as S or E): Appearance of Fission. Probably
because the two spirals appear connected and "trying" to split apart.
More likely their arms overlap as seen from our point in the universe.
Arp's comment: "Outside arms diffuse and bifurcate." The northern
galaxies "bifurcated" arm appears more like a true arm and a detached
star cloud. Southern arm appears split in my shot more than Arp's for
some reason.

The northern galaxy is cataloged as 2MASX J00534840-1351148. The
Kanipe/Webb book lists it as MCG -02-03-037 but NED says this is all
three as it lists it as a triple. In any case NED has little on it, not
even a magnitude. The southern galaxy is 2MASX J00534765-1351358 and is
listed at magnitude 15.1 but that's in near infra red light (I band) and
may not say anything about its visual magnitude. The third member to
the southeast is anonymous, only being listed in the UK's automated
plate measurement catalog as APMUKS(BJ) B005119.43-140753.8 which gives
it a magnitude of 17.8 but no filter is listed. A note at NED on Arp
251 says the southern and southeastern galaxies are 16th magnitude. It
doesn't give an estimate for the brighter northern galaxy. That's the
extent of what I could find on these three galaxies -- virtually
nothing. No distance measurement, little spectral data and fuzzy
magnitude data. That's it.

The nearly edge on galaxy to the northwest is 2MASX J00533671-1349541.
It has a magnitude listed at 16.4 and a red shift distance of just over
700 million light-years. The magnitude lists no filter. It is larger
in angular size than the galaxies making up Arp 251. This could mean
they are further away but it could also mean they are smaller galaxies
in the first place and are really closer. There's no way to know. Most
of the other galaxies in the image are only listed in the APMUKS
catalog, only the one galaxy has any red shift data.

Even my The Sky database for Arp galaxies got confused and centered me
on the near edge on spiral to the upper right. I checked this with
SIMBAD and the DSS II plates which centered on a spot half way between
the two. I went with my data base without checking further so it isn't
as centered as I'd like. Also this is about 13.7 degrees south nearly
at my normal 15 south limit so seeing isn't very good. That's what I
get for moving north to get dark skies instead of New Mexico or Arizona.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10' RGB=2x10'x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME.

Rick
--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Rick -

Collecting a bunch of light years on that scopes odometer.

Excellent image.


On Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:17:30 -0500, Rick Johnson
wrote:

After posting what I consider a really pretty open cluster, NGC 7128
here is one of Arp's least photogenic catalog entries. Big and bright
its not! You'll need the 2x enlarged view to see much detail in these
apparently extremely distant galaxies.

Arp 251 is a triple galaxy in western Cetus. Arp classed it under
Galaxies (not classifiable as S or E): Appearance of Fission. Probably
because the two spirals appear connected and "trying" to split apart.
More likely their arms overlap as seen from our point in the universe.
Arp's comment: "Outside arms diffuse and bifurcate." The northern
galaxies "bifurcated" arm appears more like a true arm and a detached
star cloud. Southern arm appears split in my shot more than Arp's for
some reason.

The northern galaxy is cataloged as 2MASX J00534840-1351148. The
Kanipe/Webb book lists it as MCG -02-03-037 but NED says this is all
three as it lists it as a triple. In any case NED has little on it, not
even a magnitude. The southern galaxy is 2MASX J00534765-1351358 and is
listed at magnitude 15.1 but that's in near infra red light (I band) and
may not say anything about its visual magnitude. The third member to
the southeast is anonymous, only being listed in the UK's automated
plate measurement catalog as APMUKS(BJ) B005119.43-140753.8 which gives
it a magnitude of 17.8 but no filter is listed. A note at NED on Arp
251 says the southern and southeastern galaxies are 16th magnitude. It
doesn't give an estimate for the brighter northern galaxy. That's the
extent of what I could find on these three galaxies -- virtually
nothing. No distance measurement, little spectral data and fuzzy
magnitude data. That's it.

The nearly edge on galaxy to the northwest is 2MASX J00533671-1349541.
It has a magnitude listed at 16.4 and a red shift distance of just over
700 million light-years. The magnitude lists no filter. It is larger
in angular size than the galaxies making up Arp 251. This could mean
they are further away but it could also mean they are smaller galaxies
in the first place and are really closer. There's no way to know. Most
of the other galaxies in the image are only listed in the APMUKS
catalog, only the one galaxy has any red shift data.

Even my The Sky database for Arp galaxies got confused and centered me
on the near edge on spiral to the upper right. I checked this with
SIMBAD and the DSS II plates which centered on a spot half way between
the two. I went with my data base without checking further so it isn't
as centered as I'd like. Also this is about 13.7 degrees south nearly
at my normal 15 south limit so seeing isn't very good. That's what I
get for moving north to get dark skies instead of New Mexico or Arizona.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10' RGB=2x10'x3, STL-11000XM, Paramount ME.

Rick