ASTRO: NGC 7700 et al

NGC 7700 and 4 others make a nice five galaxy group about 220 million
light-years away in the constellation of Pisces south of the circlet.
Oddly three of the galaxies (MCG-01-60-005, NGC 7700 and NGC 7699 make
up the triple galaxy group USGC S290. Four of the galaxies make up the
galaxy group LGG 476. But I can't find which 4 it includes.
MCG-01-60-005 is more distant than the others from its center so I will
assume it is the odd galaxy out. A wider field of view will pick up two
other galaxies NGC 7694 and NGC 7710. These are at less than half the
distance of the 5 in my image so part of an entirely different group. I
can't fathom why all five in my image aren't considered a group but
three or four at a time are.

NGC 7700 is an S0+ edge on spiral in NED and S0-a by the NGC project,
that doesn't make it into any of the flat galaxy catalogs but is a nice
edge on galaxy. It makes a pretty nice flying saucer. MCG-05-60-005 is
listed as an SB(s)d spiral. NGC 7699 is listed as SBa? by NED and Sa by
the NGC project. It looks barred to me however. Both NGC 7700 and 7769
were discovered by Albert Marth in 1864 using a 48" scope so are two
Herschel missed. However William Herschel did discover NGC 7701 in 1784
with his 18.7"reflector. While the two he missed are fainter they are
visible in today's 17.5" scopes and probably 16" scopes so why Herschel
missed them is a mystery. IC 7701 is classed as S0o which I assume to
mean it has an unusual number of O type stars. Its outer halo does
appear a faint blue color. Otherwise I don't quite see this. O stars
are unusual in S0 galaxies. IC 1501 is classed SAB(s)bc pec: with HII
emission. I didn't pick up the HII however. Nor do I know what gives
it the peculiar status. Other sources say SBbc without the HII nor pec:
reference. It was the last to be found on October 9, 1891 by Stéphane
Javelle. I don't know what size scope was used. Since he was an
accountant turned astronomer (I was a CPA and accounting prof) I sort of
identify with the guy.

While nearly another 100 galaxies are listed in NED in my frame there's
no distance data for any of them so I've not bothered to point them out
on the annotated image.

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

Rick
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