Object of The Week March 21, 2021 NGC 3341 A Triple Merger

[Jimi Lowrey]

NGC 3341

Sextant
RA
10 42 31
DEC
+05 02 08

Mag 14

Type Peculiar AGN

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NGC 3341 is rare example of a galactic triple merger. In a recent paper the B component was found to be a AGN with a supermassive black hole. NGC 3341 was found on March 22, 1865 by Albert Marth in Malta with Lassell’s 48” reflector. It is unusual to see the galactic cores of three galaxies so near each other in a late stage of merger. I was excited when I came across this galaxy in hopes to be able to see the three cores. I wish I could see it in the future when the AGN core crashes into the nucleus of the A galaxy core. I bet it will be an exciting cosmic crash.

4CEF845B-91E2-4B4F-8B00-64E7B22700E1.jpg

Last week I observed this cosmic train wreck under less than ideal conditions the seeing was dismal I would give it a 2 out of 10. I found NGC 3341 to be small and fairly faint. At 610X the B and A cores were popping in and out with the horrible seeing. I did not see a hint of the C core. I am anxious to try it again in the future on a better night I really would like to see the 3 galaxy cores with direct vision.

72CC37FC-4BAB-4166-A230-03B033696373.jpeg

Give It A GO you might be the first see all three of the galaxy cores at the same time.

GOOD LUCK and Great Viewing!

[Uwe Glahn]

Wohoo Jimi, that was no target for the 4-inch "pleasure-observer".
I gave it a try under exceptional good seeing (2 from 6) for my standard location and average transparency (NELM 6m5+). But it was a long fight with my 27-inch. First core, beside the brighter main nucleus, was the somewhat fainter C. At 586x, C stands outside the galaxy halo as a small fussy glow. I could not resolve B. At 837x, C again was visible more easily but at the limit of perception because of the very small EP. With that magnification B also pops out but was difficult to resolve from the core. The main halo was elongated roughly north-south, but with a triangle towards northeast in direction to B which makes it difficult to me to separate it from the nucleus. I will add a sketch later.

[Frank Richardsen]

HI Jimi and Uwe,
what a nice and interesting object!
fortunately, I was out on Easter Sunday in a really beautiful night with good transparency, dry air and stunning seeing! I talked about this object with Uwe and tried it immediately in my 36 -inch...
The galaxy was easy to find and seems at 940x to tapered in SW, interrupt by a faint dark bar. Strangely the A nucleus core was seen relatively clear in the bright part of the galaxy, the both other nucleus came across a little more difficult.
C stand a bit remote of the bright part of the galaxy in a fuzzy glow, the B - core was for me the more difficult one but also clear to detect. The drawing will follow.

[Jimi Lowrey]

Uwe and Frank glad you got to observe this unusual late triple merger. I look forward to see both of your drawings. You guys are probably the first to visually observe all three of the galaxy cores live. Congratulations well done.

[Uwe Glahn]

I finally completed my sketch Jimi. All in all as I reported a difficult observation, but the later observation with Frank's 36-inch confirms my impressions. Hard but nice.

sketch: 27", 586x - 837x, NELM 6m5+, Seeing II
NGC3341.jpg
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[Frank Richardsen]

as I promised, here's the sketch of NGC 3341...
NGC 3341.jpg