Object of the week March 15, 2015 IC 2233 (Superthin)

IC 2233

Lynx

RA
08 13 58
DEC
+45 44 32

Mag 13.07

Type Super-thin GX

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IC 2233 is one of the finest examples of the super-thin type of galaxy. This galaxy is one of the objects that I revisit year after year. I always enjoy the ghost like view of this unusual type of galaxy. IC 2233 lies approximately 40 MLY in Lynx and is in a rich galaxy hunting area. If you are interested in more information on super-thin type of galaxies this is a link to Wolfgang Steinicke most informative page on super-thins
http://www.klima-luft.de/steinicke/Artikel/sg/sg_e.htm

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Some of the things I try to see when I observe IC 2233 is the many star forming knots in the galaxy especially in the south end. Also in the south end see if you can see the slight warp or upturn on the end.

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When you visit IC 2233 be sure to go a little North by Northeast to see the famous Bear Paw galaxy NGC 2537 and also the much fainter NGC 2537A. The Bear Paw is a Deep Sky treasure in itself and would make a fine OOTW but I will save it for later.:D
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"GIVE IT A GO AND LET US KNOW"

Nice one Jimi, superthin galaxies are really fascinating objects. I have one observation of IC 2233 along with the Bear Paw:

"Now we're talking! A terrific view of the Bear Paw in much steadier seeing! A big bonus is the long and very thin edge-on galaxy IC 2233..." my notes go on and on gushing about the Bear Paw, but here's my sketch showing both, along with NGC 2537A drawn at 408x under a 21.15 SQM sky:

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Today no sketch at all from me from IC 2233 :rolleyes:. As Howard said good catch and OOTW selection. One of the "stars" of the RFGC. I observed a lot of them and write my notes down in an own project (sorry, only in German).

My notes:

16", 129x, NELM 6m5+
visible even with low power, bright and extremely thin, stellar nucleus, in neighborhood to a (10mag) star

27", 419x, NELM 7m+
bright, extreme axis ratio of approx 1:10, mottling central part, N of the core 14mag star, give no respect to the S brighter regions

Forgot to check for these two when they were high, I looked for them when they were rather low and withing the light pollution dome from the settlement at the eastern edge of which I live. No sign of IC2233, while the Bear Paw was easiy visible in the 18" but no detail. Priority targets for next clear night...

Hi Jimi,

I observed this superthin galaxy three nights before with my 22". At 270x and 500x, it appeared as a very slender silvery streak next to this uneven pair of stars. The star superimposed on the galaxy appears to divide at roughly a quarter to a fifth of its length.

A very nice view! Thanks for the heads up!

Two observations for this elongated streak:

7 March 2011, 21:52 under steady but light polluted Dutch skies, SQM 20.01
12" SCT 179x / 27'
Extremely faint, on the limit of visibility, would not have found it without having an image available. A remarkable shape: Extremely thin and elongated NNW-SSE. A mag. 13 star is superimposed to the NNW of the center. Without AV the galaxy is barely visible, using AV the elongated shape is clearly visible at times. Despite the faintness of the galaxy it is well worth observing. Directly east is a yellow-orange mag. 10 star, 1/4 FoV to the west is a white mag. 10 star.

11 April 2015, 22:22 under dark skies in France, SQM 21.29
14" SCT 168x / 29'
Very faint but with a remarkable shape, clearly extremely elongated, a thin streak running SSE to NNW. Centrally subtly brighter in a small part that is clearly elongated in the the same direction with a mag. 13.5 star on its NNW edge. ENE is a mag. 10.5 star.

Rated it 4/10 on both occasions.

This observation is with Jimi's scope back in April 2010 (with Jim Chandler). The one star-forming knot I mentioned is at the south end and the slight warp.

48" (4/15/10): this remarkably thin, beautiful superthin edge-on extends 4.0'x0.25' (~15:1 axial ratio) NNW-SSE. Contains a brighter elongated central region with a slightly brighter nucleus (though no bulge). The overall surface brightness is fairly low and the galaxy gradually dims near the ends of the extensions. The center is situated only 0.9' SW of a mag 10 double (a mag 13.5 companion lies 13" away) and the orientation aligns with the center of the galaxy. Roughly midway along the northern extension is a mag 14 star. Beyond this star the galaxy gradually fades to the tip, extending to within 0.6' of a faint star off the NNW tip. On the south extension, the galaxy also fades, but after nearly dimming out there is a feeble glow at the very tip which is slightly angled or bent towards the east. Located 17' SE of the Bear-Paw galaxy.