Object of the Week November 7th, 2021 - NGC6384

NGC 6384
UGC10891
CGCG 55-7
PGC60459

Galaxy

Constellation Ophiuchus

RA 17 32 24.6
DEC +07 03 38

Mag 10.4

Class SAB(r)bc

Size 7.0’x4.0’

This weeks OOTW must be observed shortly after astronomical twilight in the evening as it sets fairly early this time of year. It will be low and it will be a challenge. But considering this beautiful galaxy has never been selected as an OOTW, I didn’t want to wait until next year to post about it!
Situated near the celestial equator permitting views from both hemispheres, NGC6384 is an intermediate barred spiral located in northern Ophiuchus.

Visually, NGC6384 isn’t overwhelmingly bright. But there are observations in scopes as small as 6” in aperture. So please don’t be intimidated. The view is always worth it as NGC6346 does sit amid a beautiful, starry field.

Observers with larger scopes can start to make out some real detail. In my 25”, the elongated glow begins to reveal some uneven brightness and mottling with a bright galactic core. The galaxy lies on a NE-SW position with a vague halo extending towards its NE. Some reports online even claim to have seen a bar – something my notes do not reflect.

Give this galaxy a chance in the coming nights. Although you will have to catch it early, I feel it’s worth a try. Especially if you’re looking for a nice, early evening challenge before it impossible! If nothing else, please share some past observation reports!

As always,

Give it a go and let us know!!

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I love this selection - it's a really cool galaxy, plus selecting it for an OOTW out of season before someone else snatches it up!

I have one observation from June 2017 with my 28-inch:

"This galaxy has a huge, faint halo and a bright elongated core. There are three faint bright spots in the halo but I can't tell if they're foreground stars or knots in the galaxy (they're stars). 253x and 408x, 21.72 SQM."

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My logged observation is from July 2016. So it was truely picked out of season! I logged from SQM 21.1 skies with my 20" dob from Spain:

At 320x and 427x an elongated oval with a brighter central part surrounded by a large, faint envelope which is barely visible. To the south west a star is superimposed in the halo giving the impression of a condensation or an arm, but this is not true. No spiral structure visible. A Deep Sky Filter enhances the visibility of the halo but no further details were seen.

And here's my 24" observation made in mid-August 2015 at Grandview campground in the White Mountains (elevation 8600') to the east of the Sierras. Our group included Jimi and Connie, Paul Alsing and Debbie, Mark Wagner, Richard Navarette and Al Smith.

At 260x; fairly bright, fairly large, elongated 3:2 SSW-NNE. There are three distinct zones. Towards the center is a sharply concentrated, bright, elongated 2:1 nucleus. The nucleus is surrounded by an oval central region, roughly 1.5'x1.0'. The central region is surrounded by a large, very low surface brightness halo, extending ~4.0'x2.5'. Although spiral structure wasn't seen, the outer regions were noted as irregular. A mag 12.5 star is on the northeast side of the halo, 1.8' from center, and a mag 13.3 star is 1.3' SE of center.

Observation with 8" scope in 1995:
small,in rich field of stars,slightly oval,shallow briteness gradient to suddenly briter core,superimposed *'s
This is one I need to revisit with a larger scope.

Hi, heres my observation from 9/4/2021; Ngc 6384 galaxy in Ophiuchus ; magnitude: 10.7 ; size: 2.5' ; nice bright elongated shape with a brighter elongated core ; very faint mottled arms, I used a 8mm Ethos at 238x with my 14.5 Starstructure Dob f/4.3 Attachment 4520

One observation for NGC6384 in my log, using a 12" SCT @ 179x / 27' in 2010 in the French Alps:

Elongated NE to SW, ovally shaped with a very elongated core and a moderately bright nucleus that is visible without AV.
The galaxy is in the southern leg (in the base, 2/3 towards the south) of a flattened triangle of mag. 12 stars pointing NE with the base on the WSW side aligned NNW to SSE.

I rated it 4/10.

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