Object of the Week, December 29, 2013 – VV 225 (Interacting Pair)

VV 225

Orion

RA 05 21 56
Dec +03 29 15

Type: Galaxy Pair

Size IC 412: 1.5x0.7’, IC 413: 0.9x0.7’

Mag: IC 412: 14.6p, IC 413: 14.7p


IC 412 = IC 2123 = Javelle 608 = VV 225a
IC 413 = IC 2124 = Javelle 609 = VV 225b

As a galaxy fan, especially interacting galaxies, I ran across this pair a while ago and one of the “few, relatively speaking, that is observable during the deep winter.

IC 412 and IC 413 was originally discovered by E.E. Barnard in 1888 and again a while later, hence why it has two IC numbers. Javelle discovered them independently in 1894. It wasn’t realized until 50 years later when the CGCG catalogue came out, that IC 412/413 and IC 2123/2124 was the same pair and Corwin straightened it out in 2004.

This pair of galaxies lies about 3 degrees SSW from Bellatrix is a star rich region. With a medium to high power eyepiece, this pair is nearly embedded with a mag 12.2 star. The “trio” forms a tight 45 degree right triangle with sides about 25” long and the star at the right angle. Both members have a much brighter center cumulating in a nearly stellar center. IC 412 is slightly brighter. Otherwise both are featureless through my 22”.

Bonus object nearby, IC 414, about 5.6’ due south, also seen by Barnard when found the pair for the first time. I didn’t look for it as I didn’t know it was there. 

Attachment 1010

Looking at the image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), it appears that IC 412 (the right one) has very faint spiral arms and IC 413 has a dust lane screaming across just south of the middle. Has anyone seen the spiral arms? Or the dust lane? Or even the interaction between the two galaxies.



"GIVE IT A GO AND LET US KNOW"

I happened to observe this pair a year ago with my 24", following up an observation 13 years back with my old 17.5". I didn't notice the spiral arms in IC 412 in either observation, but I'm curious if others have.

24" (1/12/13): both members of this interacting pair (VV 225) are fairly faint, small, roughly 20"-25" in size, and each contains small bright cores. IC 412, the northwest component, is larger and more elongated , roughly 5:3 SW-NE, 25"x15". IC 413 is just off the ESE side, 35" between centers, and appeared fairly faint, slightly elongated, ~22"x17", sharply concentrated with a very small, high surface brightness nucleus. A mag 12.3 star is just 25" N of center and a mag 16.2 star is 46" SSW. The stretched spiral arm or tidal tail to the north of IC 412 was not seen. The pair is 14' WSW of the bright double 23 Ori = STF 696 (5.0/7.2 at 32").

IC 414 (discovered by Sherbourne Burnham on 8 Nov 1891 with the 36" refractor at Lick) lies 8.5' S and was logged as fairly faint, small, slightly elongated NW-SE, 24"x18", weak concentration.

I was able to observe IC 412 and 413 this past Saturday evening with my 28":

Attachment 1042 Attachment 1043

"The sketch shows IC 412 and 413 while IC 414 is a fainter smudge that would be several inches away at the scale of the sketch. The only detail I can make out in the 412/413 pair are the stellar cores (413's is brighter of the two) and a slight asymmetry to 412. 408x, 21.15 SQM."

No spiral arms or dust lanes even though I was looking for them, but then this wasn't the best night for seeing subtle features like this.