Object of the Week, October 8, 2023 – UGC 12127 galaxy group

[Howard B]

Pegasus
Compact galaxy group
RA: 22 38 29
Dec: +35 19 49

UGC 12127_DSScolor.JPG

Two months ago (August 2023) I was observing under a wonderfully dark sky with my 30-inch scope in eastern Oregon, and after a so-so view of Stephan’s Quintet in Pegasus - wildfire smoke had ruined the transparency - I started to wander around the area to see what I could come across. About twice as far to the northeast of NGC 7331 as Stephan’s Quintet is to its southwest, I stumbled across a compact galaxy group that I thought I’d never seen. Actually, I had – eleven years ago with the 28-inch – but I had no memory of it until I checked my notes.

That aside, this is an enjoyable compact galaxy group to explore. Except for UGC 12127, the member galaxies are all about a magnitude fainter than the galaxies of Stephan’s Quintet, but the six brightest are no dimmer than magnitude 15.3. There are also a handful of fainter, and smaller looking galaxies surrounding the six brightest, and some really nice galaxies to the north, but I’ll focus on the six brightest because they make such a nice counterpoise to Stephan’s Quintet.

The brightest is UGC 12127, an elliptical galaxy. Most interesting to me, is MCG+06-49-056, an edge on galaxy with little MCG+06-49-057 on its northeast end. I didn’t see it two months ago with my 30-inch through the wildfire smoke, but I did in 2012 with the 28-inch. It appeared as a slight brightening on the northeast end of MCG+06-49-056. They’re not interacting, as there’s about 50 million light years between them (that’s approximately the distance from us to the Virgo Cluster) as shown in the list below.

This is my 28-inch sketch:

UGC12127 galaxy group_28inch_crop-rotated.JPG UGC12127 galaxy group_28inch_crop_invert_rotated.JPG

To identify the galaxies in the DSS image and my sketch, UGC 12127 is at the bottom center. Then use the table to follow the six brightest galaxies clockwise.

I mostly enjoyed seeing this main group bunched together in the same high-power field of view – 300x two months ago and 700x in 2012. This is lovely group, and if you give it a go, let us know!



UGC 12127 z = 0.027 = 374 Mly 13.0 mag

MCG+06-49-062 z = 0.0283 = 391 Mly 15.2 mag

MCG+06-49-060 z = 0.0298 = 412 Mly 14.3 mag

MCG+06-49-061 z = 0.0275 = 380 Mly 14.5 mag

MCG+06-49-057 z = 0.0292 = 404 Mly 15.3 mag

MCG+06-49-056 z = 0.0259 = 354 Mly 14.1 mag



Not seen
2MASX J22383404+3523340 z = 0.0254 = 352 Mly 15.8 mag

2MASX J22383755+3521240 z = 0.0252 = 349 Mly 16.5 mag (estimate)

[lamperti]

UGC-12127. With an 18" 23 years ago at 256x: "Well placed in "Dobson's hole". Slightly longer than wide and an even glow. No other members seen."

[Steve Gottlieb]

This is a great galaxy group! (WBL 685). I viewed all but one of the members (MCG +06-49-057) with my 18-inch back in 2004, but Jimi Lowrey and I had a better look in my 24-inch from Grandview Campground in August 2007. At the north edge are two NGC galaxies, 7342 and 7345. The second one is a very nice edge-on, so I've also included my notes on it.

MCG +06-49-056 = CGCG 514-078 = WBL 685-002 = PGC 69378
22 38 25.1 +35 21 57
V = 14.3; Size 1.0'x0.3'; PA = 24°
Fairly faint, elongated 5:2 SSW-NNE, 0.5'x0.2', bright core. Located 2.3' NNW of UGC 12127 and 1.0' SW of a mag 11.4 star. MCG +06-49-057 is attached at the NNE end.

MCG +06-49-057 = PGC 67379
22 38 26.3 +35 22 22
V = 15.2; Size 0.3'x0.3'
Extremely faint and small, round, 5" diameter. This quasi-stellar "knot" is attached to the NNE end of MCG +06-49-056 and was visible about half the time. A mag 11.4 star is 32" NNE and interferes with viewing.

UGC 12127 = MCG +06-49-058 = CGCG 514-080 = WBL 685-003 = PGC 69385
22 38 29.5 +35 19 41
V = 13.4; Size 1.5'x1.5'; Surf Br = 14.3
Moderately/fairly bright, irregularly round, 40" diameter, contains a bright core that increases to the center. Brightest in an excellent group of galaxies (WBL 685) including MCG +09-49-060 1.3' NE, MCG +09-49-062 1.7' E, MCG +09-49-056 2.3' NNW, MCG +06-49-061 3.0' N.

MCG +06-49-061 = CGCG 514-081 = WBL 685-004 = PGC 69386
22 38 30.2 +35 22 41
V = 14.5; Size 0.9'x0.3'; Surf Br = 13.3; PA = 147°
Very faint, fairly small, very elongated 3:1 NNW-SSE, 0.6'x0.2', brighter core, very faint extensions. Situated close following [33"] a mag 11.3 star in the UGC 12127 group. UGC 12127 lies 3.0' S, MCG +06-49-056/057 is 1.3' SW, LEDA 3966329 is 1.2' NE and LEDA 3088581 is 3.1' NNE!

LEDA 3966329 = 2MASX J22383404+3523340
22 38 34.0 +35 23 34
V = 15.8; Size 0.3'x0.3'
Extremely faint and small, round, 8". Situated just 20" NW of an 8" pair of mag 13.5-14 stars and 1.2' NE of MCG +06-49-061 in the UGC 12127 group. This galaxy is the faintest of 8 that I logged in the central part of the cluster.

MCG +06-49-060 = PGC 69384
22 38 34.8 +35 20 29
V = 14.3; Size 0.4'x0.4'
Faint, small, round, 15" diameter. Forms a small triangle with a mag 15 star 21" N of center and a mag 15.4 star 25" SE. Located 1.3' NE of UGC 12127 with MCG +06-49-062 1.1' SSE.

LEDA 3088581 = 2MASX J22383477+3525390
22 38 34.8 +35 25 39
V = 14.7; Size 0.6'x0.3'; PA = 95°
Fairly faint, fairly small, elongated 2:1 E-W, 20"x10", weak concentration. A mag 12.5 star (unequal double) is 0.9' SSW. Located 6' NNE of UGC 12127 and 3' NNE of MCG +06-49-061.

MCG +06-49-062 = PGC 69389
22 38 37.7 +35 19 32
V = 15.1; Size 0.3'x0.3'
Faint, very small, round, 15" diameter. Situated 1.7' E of UGC 12127 in the core of the cluster with MCG +06-49-060 1.1' NW.

NGC 7345 = UGC 12130 = MCG +06-49-064 = CGCG 514-083 = WBL 685-005 = PGC 69401
22 38 44.8 +35 32 26
V = 14.3; Size 1.2'x0.2'; Surf Br = 12.6; PA = 39°
Moderately bright and large, edge-on 6:1 SW-NE, 1.0'x0.15', relatively large bright core, the extensions taper at the tips. A mag 9.6 star is 1.8' S. Furthest north in the UGC 12127 Group (WBL 685) with NGC 7342 7' SW and CGCG 514-087 6.8' SSE.

MCG +06-49-066 = CGCG 514-087 = WBL 685-006 = PGC 69406
22 38 58.7 +35 26 19
V = 14.2; Size 0.5'x0.4'; Surf Br = 12.4
Fairly faint, small, round, 18" diameter, gradually increases to a small brighter nucleus. Located 5.4' SE of a mag 9.6 star and 6' NW of a mag 8.9 star.

[Uwe Glahn]

This group is indeed an insider tip beside the famous VIP's in the neighbourhood.

I gave it a try with my 27" after an also nice view through a 16".

sketch: 27", 419x, Seeing II, NELM 7m0+
UGC12127-Gruppe.jpg
home