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Thread: Object of the Week October 11, 2015: NGC 278, the "Neon Sign Galaxy".

  1. #1
    Member RolandosCY's Avatar
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    Object of the Week October 11, 2015: NGC 278, the "Neon Sign Galaxy".

    NGC 278, The “Neon-Sign” Galaxy

    Cassiopeia

    RA 00 05 06
    DEC 47 33 03

    Type: Galaxy
    Class: SAB(rs)b
    Size: 2.1' x 2.0'

    Magnitude: 10.9

    This week’s OOTW is a gem hidden in Cassiopeia, a constellation with few observable galaxies. I only came across it last month, while checking out the constellation and seeing it on a chart. It is a rather obscure object, although included in most detailed deep-sky observing guides. But usually only a few quick notes are attached to it, saying that it is a rather bright galaxy, or, as is the case with Burnham’s, only a photo is included. Yet this galaxy is one of the best galaxies visible at this time of the year!

    NGC 278 is a rather compact starburst galaxy of a SAB(rs)b type, with a distinct nuclear ring, located at approximately 38 million light years away. The high rate of star formation fooled E. Hubble in calculating a distance of only 5 mly away.

    NGC278-hst-R814G606B450.jpg

    Observationally, this galaxy is situated in a rather desolated area. When I noticed its presence on a Megastar chart, only two degrees away from the better known NGC 147 and NGC 185 galaxies, I expected the usual “faint fuzzy” to pop in the field. Yet, at even a low power, my 18” showed a very bright roundish object in a beautiful starfield. I immediately increased the power, and possibly for the first time in my observing history, I saw a deep sky object that seemed to be alive in the field! Using 275X I observed a bright nucleus surrounded by a rather squarish distinct halo. What’s more, it seemed that within the halo, bright patches appeared and disappeared all the time. It reminded me of those lights outside casinos or bars with neon lights lighting up and going off one after the other giving the impression of a moving light around the main sign – hence my name “The Neon Sign Galaxy”.

    On the night I discovered NGC 278 I had to cut my observing session short, but I was able to re-observe the galaxy the next evening. At 275X with my 18” I again observed the neon-light effect. Doubling the magnification to 550X I could no longer see the neon-light effect, but now I could see a bright nucleus surrounded by a bright inner region, giving way to an extensive (relatively speaking as the galaxy is quite small) halo of a rather rectangular shape. I could now detect four distinct brightenings at the edge of the halo, suggesting either bright knots within spiral arms, or brighter segments of actual spiral arms. The view was simply mesmerizing. Checking my drawing later against some of the few photos of NGC 278 available, it seems that the four bright patches correspond well to bright patches within the short stubby arms. Maybe under steadier conditions I could even resolve the arms.

    NGC278b1.jpg

    During the same night I observed NGC 278 with my 5” f5 achromat. It was readily visible as a fuzzy star even at low powers. The best view through my 5” was obtained using a 7mm Nagler, which at 86x showed a bright nucleus surrounded by a rectangular halo. No “neon-light” effect was visible with the 5”, but certainly a worthwhile object for the popular refractors in the 3-5 inch range.

    NGC278fiveInchb2a.jpg

    So, NGC 278 is a wonderful diversion from Cassiopeia's star clusters and nebulae, visible in most if not all telescopes. Next time you are in Cassiopeia, search for this galaxy, and as always,

    "Give it a go and let us know!"
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  2. #2
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    NGC 278 belongs to the list of the "Rosse Spirals" and was beside the famous Messier spirals one of the first objects in which spiral structure were detected with the big 72" Leviathan.

    I tried to retrace these observations with my former 14.5" and was surprised what detail was visible without knowing of any picture or sketch before.

    And NGC 278 was one of the highlights with very positive surprising details. Because of the small size and high surface brightness I used a power of 404x. I noted (barely translated): small, exactly round galaxy with high surface brightness; concentrated to its inconspicuous core; even from a quick look round halo seems to be mottled and show hints of knots which merges difficult to a clear structure because of the small size; most easiest detail is an S starting arm which bends to the E and ends at a brighter, laminar knot at the NE; arm is defined through a dark lane between arm and core; W of the galaxy two more knots which seems to form another arm; all in all very interesting and exciting object

    14.5", 404x, NELM 6m5+
    NGC278.jpg
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    27" f/4,2

  3. #3
    Administrator/Co-Founder Dragan's Avatar
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    Since we have a repeat object, more information on this object can be found under the OOTW posted on October 30th 2016. Feel free to post to either OOTW, but I would encourage the newer OOTW just for currency.

    http://www.deepskyforum.com/showthre...=5362#post5362
    Clear Dark Skies,
    Dragan Nikin
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