Object of the Week March 3, 2013 --- UGCA 258

[deepskytraveler]

Object of the Week March 3, 2013 UGCA 258

UGCA 258 PGC 037680 DDO 103 MCG-02-31-006

Ring Galaxy
Morphology: Im pec

Corvus

RA
11 58 25
DEC
-14 31 26

Size: 1.1’ x 1.0’ Mag: 14.6v (NED)

UGCA 258 is a collisional dwarf ring galaxy. First cataloged as DDO 103 in 1959 by Sidney van den Bergh in A Catalogue of Dwarf Galaxies. The galaxy received its UGCA 258 designation from a survey of the blue POSS plates by Peter Nilson in the Uppsala General Catalogue Addendum. The morphology classification of UGCA 258 is Im pec – Irregular Magellanic, peculiar. Surprisingly as a relative bright galaxy there is very little known about this unusual galaxy.


Here are my observing notes from my one and only observation so far of UGCA 258.
March 24, 2012 at the Cosmic Cowboy Observatory - Barbarella (Jimi’s 48” f/4)
Seeing above average, transparency 7/10, SQM 21.56
With ZAOII 10mm 488x
found 3 stars of nearly equal magnitude that form an equilateral triangle, they required averted vision and moments of good seeing
galaxy bisects the line between two of the stars
galaxy was visible with direct vision
slightly brighter denser portion, a knot, is on the inside side of this imaginary line, towards the center of the triangle
ring portion of the galaxy is outside the line of the triangle

ugca 258.jpg

ugca258 zoomed.jpg

I haven’t yet given this one a try with my 15”. However it’s on my list, as soon as the perpetual Ohio winter cloud cover gives way to some clear Spring time skies.

“GIVE IT A GO AND LET US KNOW”

GOOD LUCK AND GREAT VIEWING!