Recent observations of VV interacting galaxies and Zwicky compacts/eruptive galaxies

[Steve Gottlieb]

Here are some observations of interesting galaxies I made earlier in July at the Golden State Star Party with my 24" f/3.7.

VV 120 = Arp 111 = NGC 5421
14 01 41.4 +33 49 35
At 282x, this interacting pair appeared moderately bright, fairly small, elongated 3:2 NNW-SSE but irregular. Contains a very small, bright nucleus. A non-stellar knot companion (VV 120c) appearing like a second bright "nucleus" was visible at the southeast end of the halo. At 322x, VV120c was easily resolved and appeared faint to fairly faint, very small, round, 10" diameter. A mag 15 star is just off the southwest side. MCG +06-31-046 = VV 120d+e at mag 17.1V, is just 1' S of the pair and was glimpsed several times for brief moments and confirmed at 322x.

NGC 5421.jpg

I Zw 96 = VV 517 = UGC 9511
14 44 53.6 +51 20 28
V = 15.3 B = 16.0
At 280x and 375x appeared very faint, very small, round, low even surface brightness, 15" diameter. Can just hold steadily with averted and concentration. 2MASX J14450375+5121557, situated just 2.1' NE, was not seen. CGCG 273-026 = VV 713 lies 16.5' NNE and ∑1871, a perfectly matched 1.8" pair of mag 8 stars, lies 31' WNW. Described by Zwicky as a "Red post-eruptive globular compact with extended halo, pencil jets and associated faint stellar knots"

VV 517.jpg

VV 713 = CGCG 273-026
14 45 45.1 +51 34 51
V = 13.8 B = 14.6
At 282x appeared fairly faint, small, slightly elongated, ~20"x15", very small brighter nucleus increases to the center, fainter halo. Situated midway between mag 8.6 HD 130370 3.4' NE and a mag 11 star 3.3' SW. I Zw 96 = VV 713 lies 16.5' SSW. On the SDSS this appears to be a possible merged system with tidal tails to the west and east, although only one nucleus is visible.

VV 705.jpg

I Zw 107 = VV 705 = CGCG 221-050
15 18 06.3 +42 44 36
At 282x this tight interacting pair appeared fairly faint, fairly small, oval 3:2 NNW-SSE, ~20"x14". A very small brighter nucleus appears offset to the east side of the glow. A mag 15.8 star lies 35" ENE and a mag 16.0 star is 1.3' S. Located 14' NE of mag 7.5 HD 136115.

On the SDSS there is a tight pair of nuclei, separated by only 6" and this object appears to be a merging pair of compacts with tidally distorted arms that loop and intersect each other.

I Zw 107.jpg

I Zw 117 = UGC 9922
15 35 53.7 +38 40 40
At 322x this interacting pair of compact galaxies was just resolved. The brighter (starburst) component is on the south end and appeared fairly faint, fairly small, elongated N-S, ~24"x12", contains a very small brighter nucleus offset towards the north end. A very faint, extremely small companion is barely detached in steady moments at the north end, appearing as an 8" round knot. Generally, though, the two objects blend together into a single elongated glow.

I Zw 117.jpg

VV 129 = UGC 10321
16 18 05.3 +21 33 13
At 282x, three components of VV 129 were resolved. VV 129a = UGC 10321 NED01, the brightest member, appeared very faint, small, round, 18", visible continuously. VV 129c, just 35" N, appeared extremely faint, small, round, 10" diameter. VV 129e = MCG +04-38-047 lies 1.1' NE and appeared extremely faint (V = 16.2), very small, round, 12" diameter. Could not hold continuously but repeatedly seen and confirmed. A quartet of mag 14-15.5 stars (similar size to VV 129) is less than 2' S. CGCG 137-077 lies 10' E and 2MASX J16180582+2128229 is 5' S.

VV 129.jpg

VV 560 = UGC 10402
16 28 41 +12 45 57
At 282x appeared as a faint, elongated glow with a brighter elongated knot oriented N-S on the south side. The fainter northern component occasionally resolved into a very faint, very small glow, ~10" diameter. VV 560 is an interacting pair of disturbed spirals. On the SDSS, the pair has a "Sickle" shape, with the fainter curved section at the north end and the elongated "handle" at the south end.

VV 560.jpg

I Zw 199
17 50 05.1 +56 40 27
At 320x, I Zw 199 appeared as a fairly faint, fairly small, round, irregular glow, ~30"x20" SW-NE with a small "knot" at the southwest end. Occasionally, a very close pair of compacts were resolved. The northeast compoment (MCG +09-29-040) was larger (~20") and brighter (V = 14.7). The fainter southwest knot (MCG +09-29-039) was only 10"-12" in size and more sharply defined. The centers of these compacts are separated by only 20"!

I Zw 199.jpg

[FaintFuzzies]

Good observations.
I've observed one of them recently at Blue Canyon under NELM 6.2 skies. I didn't write my notes yet, just taken straight from my logbook.

VV 129 - seen the same three that you saw. I could not see "d".
"a" - very faint even surface brightness glow visible 100% of the time. Diffuse edges. 0.4' across.
"c" extremely faint very small round even surface brightness glow visible 50% of the time. 0.1' across.
"e" extremely faint small round even surface brightness glow visible 50% of the time. 0.2' across.

Crooked house of stars to the south of the group.

[Steve Gottlieb]

Thanks for posting your notes, Alvin, which I see are pretty similar to mine. I observed this group on Sunday night while you were still at GSSP, but I guess I didn't come over to compare notes.

[Uwe Glahn]

Interesting objects Steve. I wonder how famous this catalog would be for amateur astronomers, when his paper(s) were published in more international Journals like the A&A. Still lots of interesting stuff to find.

Here my observation of two groups.

VV 705 (Mrk 848)
27", 586x - both cores difficult to separate, both tidal arms visible, arc only visible at the N arm, S arm only thicker to its end
VV705.jpg
27", 586x, Seeing II, fst 6m5+

VV 560 (UGC 10402)
27", 419x - faint, could hold S knot with averted vision, somewhat structured to the N, but could not hold or see anything of the nice arc in the N, could also not see the shorter S tidal arm

[FaintFuzzies]

Uwe,

At least Part I is available on my website. I'm 95% done with Part II I'll be done soon.

Alvin