NGC 4676A/B (IC 819/IC 820)
= VV 224, Arp 242

Interacting Galaxy Pair

Coma Berenices
RA 12h 46.2m
DEC +66° 43.7’

Magnitude 13.5v/13.8v


First known description came from Herschel at March 1785. Although he only cataloged one object trough his 18,7” Reflector, he described it as faint, extended and binuclear. In 1892 Spitaler cataloged two objects through his huge 27” Refractor. The Index Catalog named both objects as IC 819 and IC 820.
The situation behind this object became really exciting with the publication and distribution of the POSS plates. Fastest astronomer was as often the Russian Astronomer Vorontsov-Velyaminov (VV) who mentioned in 1957 the abnormal spirals and the bright comet-like tail and assumed that both galaxies have to be a colliding pair. VV named the new class of galaxies “mice” for his compilation of unusual galaxies. But the pair became his famous name “The Mice” two years later when Burbidge and Burbidge refer to a detailed prime-focus plate of the 82” McDonald Reflector (maybe someone knows this instrument here?)

Now we know much more details about the colliding pair. Lots of simulations of the collision started. First contact has taken place 150 million years. This cosmic dance should last another 400 million years. Then, this pair should look like a normal elliptical galaxy and is not worth as another OOTW here.

The pair should be in reach for 8” class telescopes. Under good but not perfect conditions I could see hints of the brighter tail in my old 16”. The 20” showed this without problems and with 24” it was a direct vision detail. Much more difficult is the fainter tail to the south and the bridge between both galaxies. A quick view in the past through an 24” telescope doesn’t show both fainter details, but I know of positive observations with 20” under perfect conditions.

What are your experiences with this pair, both tails and the bridge?

SDSS image
NGC4676_SDSS.jpg

sketch: 24", 315x, NELM 6m7
NGC4676.jpg

“GIVE IT A GO AND LET US KNOW”
GOOD LUCK AND GREAT VIEWING!