Arp 284 = NGC 7714 and NGC 7715 (magnitudes 12.5 and 14.5 respectively)
Quasar 2333+019 (magnitude 18.0)
The two interacting galaxies of Arp 284 are, by chance, right next to a magnitude 5.7 star, 16 Psc, making them particularity easy to find but also somewhat difficult to observe. I've observed it three times, with the last two times with my 28 inch scope in August and last week with Jimi's 48 inch, and it's interesting to compare the two observations, especially because of the unexpected bonus that made this an incredible observation in the 48 inch.
28 inch
"The bright star is 16 Psc and I had it outside the 408x fov while observing - it's a bright one! Anyway, both galaxies are immediately obvious and the tidal tails pop out with averted vision in 7715. 7714 is brighter with a small star-like core (7715 has a much fainter star-like core). The tidal arms don't point exactly at 7714's central area giving the galaxies a nice asymmetry. 21.72 SQM."
Arp284_28inch.jpg Arp284_28inchInvert.jpg
Last week, when we got the pair in Jimi's 48 inch he noticed on MegaStar that there is a high z quasar in the same field of view - with a z of 1.871, which equates to a 10 billion year light travel time! We (Jimi, Steve Gottlieb and myself) were bowled over that it was as easy to see as it was, even though MegaStar listed it at 18th magnitude. It really was the most memorable view of the night, and is one of those rare observations that made the back of my neck tingle in awe.
48 inch
The best and most memorable view of the night. Wow, a quasar who's light has taken 10 billion years to get here - and I could hold its stellar image steady with averted vision. Holy Moly...
NGC 7714 and 7715 were astonishing too, and much more detailed than I saw in the 28 inch at the OSP in August. 812x, 21.45 SQM."
Arp284_48inch.jpg Arp284_48inchInvert.jpg
...and the MegaStar image:
Arp284_Quasar2333+019_labled.JPG
There's an incredible depth of field here - 16 Psc is in our Milky Way galaxy, about 101 light years distant. NGC 7714 and 7715 are about 100 million light years away - amazing enough - while the quasar's light has taken 10 billion years to get here, about 71% the age of the universe. Oh man, the back of my neck is tingling again...
Give it a go and let us know!
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