Steve Gottlieb
April 30th, 2015, 11:03 PM
This past new moon weekend Howard Banich and I observed with Jimi and his rather large toy (48-inch f/4). Here's the first of several objects that I'll report on --
Markarian 177 and SDSS J113323.97+550415.8
11 33 23.5 +55 04 20
Size: 0.35'x0.3'
Mag: 15.5V (main galaxy), ~17V (blue knot)
Mrk (Markarian) 177 is a relatively nearby dwarf galaxy with an AGN (active galactic nucleus) and a very unusual blue object at the southeast end. This enigmatic "star" exhibits broad emission lines and strong variability. It is possibly a luminous blue variable star (LBV) that has been erupting for decades since 1950, followed by a Type IIn supernova in 2001. If that's the case, the multidecade LBV eruptions are the longest ever observed. It has also been speculated that Mrk 177 once contained a double black hole, and the blue object is a massive black hole that was ejected from the nucleus of Mrk 177!
The full story (though not the final say!) is contained in the 2014 paper: "SDSS1133: an unusually persistent transient in a nearby dwarf galax (http://fr.arxiv.org/abs/1401.6798)y"
A summary of this bizarre object is in the Sky & Tel story "Evicted Black Hole or Weird Supernova? (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/have-astronomers-discovered-an-evicted-black-hole-120420144/)"
Whatever it is, we weren't sure what to expect or even if it was a visual object. At 610x, Mrk 177 appeared fairly faint, small, round, 12" diameter, moderate surface brightness, gradually brightens to the center but no zones. SDSS J113323.97+550415.8 was visible as an extremely faint "star" at the southeast end [just 6" from center] of the galaxy. In addition 2MASX J11331883+5504515 = PGC 3473037 lies 52" NW. This galaxy is very faint, very small, slightly elongated, ~10" diameter.
1629
Markarian 177 and SDSS J113323.97+550415.8
11 33 23.5 +55 04 20
Size: 0.35'x0.3'
Mag: 15.5V (main galaxy), ~17V (blue knot)
Mrk (Markarian) 177 is a relatively nearby dwarf galaxy with an AGN (active galactic nucleus) and a very unusual blue object at the southeast end. This enigmatic "star" exhibits broad emission lines and strong variability. It is possibly a luminous blue variable star (LBV) that has been erupting for decades since 1950, followed by a Type IIn supernova in 2001. If that's the case, the multidecade LBV eruptions are the longest ever observed. It has also been speculated that Mrk 177 once contained a double black hole, and the blue object is a massive black hole that was ejected from the nucleus of Mrk 177!
The full story (though not the final say!) is contained in the 2014 paper: "SDSS1133: an unusually persistent transient in a nearby dwarf galax (http://fr.arxiv.org/abs/1401.6798)y"
A summary of this bizarre object is in the Sky & Tel story "Evicted Black Hole or Weird Supernova? (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/have-astronomers-discovered-an-evicted-black-hole-120420144/)"
Whatever it is, we weren't sure what to expect or even if it was a visual object. At 610x, Mrk 177 appeared fairly faint, small, round, 12" diameter, moderate surface brightness, gradually brightens to the center but no zones. SDSS J113323.97+550415.8 was visible as an extremely faint "star" at the southeast end [just 6" from center] of the galaxy. In addition 2MASX J11331883+5504515 = PGC 3473037 lies 52" NW. This galaxy is very faint, very small, slightly elongated, ~10" diameter.
1629