Arp 171 and the NGC 5718 galaxy group
Galaxy Group
Virgo
J2000
RA 14 40 43
DEC +3 27 57
MAG 13.9 (N5718) 14.3 (IC1042)
Arp 171 is only a small part of the NGC 5718 galaxy group, which I didn’t realize before observing it on the night of May 18, 2012. I went expecting to see two relatively bright galaxies close to each other, but in the eyepiece I saw two similar pairs equally close – which was Arp 171?
Arp171_N5718 group crop.jpgN5718 group, Arp171_dss_search.jpg
Turns out it’s the pair on the left – NGC 5718 and IC 1042, but the real fun was slowly realizing there where even more galaxies in the field of view. I ended up seeing ten using 408x with my 28 inch f/4 Newtonian under a 21.48 SQM sky, but there are a few more in the neighborhood for the patient observer to find.
"GIVE IT A GO AND LET US KNOW"
GOOD LUCK AND GREAT VIEWING!