Object of the Week November 25 2018---UGC 1382 (Frankenstein Galaxy)

[Jimi Lowrey]

UGC 1382

Cetus

RA
01 54 41
DEC
-00 08 36

Type E?

MAG 14.3G

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UGC 1382 AKA The Frankenstein Galaxy was thought to be an old E type of galaxy but when astronomers look at it in deep optical and ultra violet they found a hidden monster spiral type galaxy hidden in plane view. What is most usual about this galaxy is The optical bright core is younger than the LSB spiral arms. It is though to be formed by a merger of several galaxies and has survived because it lies in a quiet part of the universe.

IMG_0155.GIF

UGC 1382 lies 250 MLY from Earth and 718 000 light years across is seven times larger than the Milky Way galaxy. That makes it the third largest spiral type galaxy found so far. The hunt is now on to look for other galaxies of this unusual type of LSB spiral arms. Who knows what other monster size LSB type spirals they will find.

IMG_0151.JPG

When I first found out about the unusual galaxy I was anxious to try it. I did not expect to see the spiral arms and when I viewed it at 488X I was not surprised when I did not see them. UGC 1382 appeared in the eyepiece like any other small E type galaxy just a small fuzzie glow with a brighter core. It was still a thrill to know that I was seeing one of the
largest LSB spiral type galaxies that is known so far.

GIVE IT A GO as always !

[Steve Gottlieb]

I took a look at the Frankenstein Galaxy in 2016 with my 24-inch after the news release and paper on astro-ph.

I logged this relatively bright galaxy as "fairly small, elongated 4:3 SW-NE, ~25"x18", very small bright core, occasional stellar nucleus. Forms a pair (similar distance) with CGCG 386-053 5.5' SW." The CGCG is the elongated galaxy in the upper right corner of the image, adjacent to the two bright stars.