Object of the Week May 23, 2021 – NGC 3504

[Dragan]

NGC3504
UGC 6118
PGC 33371

Galaxy

Constellation: Leo Minor

RA: 11 30 11.2
DEC: +27 58 20

Type (R)SAB(s)ab
Mag: 12.93
Size: 2.4’ x 2.4’


(I must apologize for the brevity of my post. It’s finals week and this is the first free moment I’ve had all weekend)

Located approximately 85Mly away in the constellation Leo Minor, NGC3504 is a beautiful barred spiral with apparent arms, or halos as it looks like in many images and readily available under the right conditions, that nicely wrap around the entire galaxy. Discovered on April 11^th, 1785 by William Herschel, NGC3504 is a bright, NW-SE elongated barred spiral that offers up a bright concentrated core. Approximately 12’ to the east lies NGC3512, a wonderful face on spiral worthy of its own OOTW post that actually sits closer to us at 79Mly distant.

On March 12^th 2001, Lick Observatory reported a type IIn supernova in the northwestern arm, thought the supernova never got very bright peaking around 18^th magnitude.

Give this galaxy a go next time you’re out. It provides a beautiful view in all apertures. If you have access to a large scope under dark skies, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised in just what you’ll see.

And as always, give it a go and let us know!

ngc3504_AdamBlock.jpg

800px-NGC_3504_and_NGC_3512.jpg

N3504s_AdamBlock.jpg

n3504hst.jpg

SN2001ac.jpg

[Clear Skies]

Logged 3 observations for this pretty one, most recently in February 2019 from the French Ardennes.

14" SCT @168x / 29'

A clearly NW-SE elongated glow with a bright nucleus that is clearly visible without AV. On the ESE edge is a mag. 14 star (4UCAC590-049159). With AV the outer halo of the galaxy clearly brightens, the galaxy is much more elongated (in the same direction) and gradually brighter in the middle. Has subtle irregular structure. The outer arms/ring can not be discerned. A nice galaxy.1/2 FoV to the ENE is NGC3512.

In April 2015 from the French Alps

Sharing the FoV with the galaxy NGC3515, 1/3 FoV to the NE: Brighter than NGC3515, clearly elongated NE to SW, brighter in a relatively large, almost round core that is slightly elongated in the same direction with an extremely bright nucleus that is clearly visible without AV. A nice galaxy.
To the ESE is a mag. 15 star, to the NE are two mag. 14.5 stars aligned NE to SW.

In April 2010 under Dutch skies, 12" SCT @ 179x / 27'

Elongated NW-SE with a small, round, brighter core and a very bright nucleus that is clearly visible without AV.
On the ESE edge of the galaxy is a mag. 14 star, to the ENE, SSE and NW are mag. 13 stars at approximately equal distances.

NGC3504-1.jpg NGC3504-2.jpg NGC3504-3.jpg

[Uwe Glahn]

Nice object Dragan.

I noted: bright core with slightly conical shaped bar; oval and faint outer region; NE part better defined, especially at the NW starting point; whole SW part suspected as an arc segment

sketch: 14.5", 202x-283x, NELM 6m5+, Seeing III
NGC3504.jpg
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