Observation by Mike Foylan: Arp Object #116

Uploaded by

Mike Foylan

Observer

Mike Foylan

Observed

2014 Dec 27 - 19:34

Uploaded

2018 Oct 26 - 19:09

Objects

M60
NGC4647

Planetarium overlay

Enable overlay
Show stars
Label stars
Show deep sky objects
Label deep sky objects
Show constellation boundaries
Show constellation sticks
Show constellation labels
Show RA/Dec grid

Constellation

Virgo

Field centre

RA: 12^h43^m
Dec: +11°34'
Position angle: +89°59'

Field size

0°46' × 0°36'

Equipment

0.2-m @f7.6
SBIG STL-1301E CCD Camera
Celestron CG5-GT Mount

Exposure

210s x 2. Flat field and dark subtract calibration frames. Unfiltered.

Location

Cherryvalley Observatory (I83) Ireland

Target name

NGC 4647 & NGC 4649 Galaxies

Title

Arp Object #116

About this image

Neighbours within the Virgo galaxy cluster. M60 (NGC 4649) is a giant elliptical galaxy 120 thousand light-year across containing a trillion stars surrounded by thousands of globular clusters and a number of dwarf satellite galaxies. M60 is some 55 million light years distant.

Distinct spiral galaxy NGC 4647 is estimated to be some 63 million light years distant with a respectable size of 90,000 light years across. The two galaxies are thought to be very weakly interacting and that tidal interactions may be just beginning.

Dr. Halton Arp originally compiled the Atlas of peculiar galaxies with photographs he made mainly using the Palomar 200-inch telescope and the 48-inch Schmidt telescope between the years 1961 to 1966. Original image can be found here:

http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Arp/Figures/big_arp116.jpeg

Files associated with this observation

Arp 116.png (1.9 MB)

Like this image

Neil Morrison, Eric Watkins, Jeremy Shears, Graham Winstanley, David Basey, Andy Wilson, Andrew Paterson, Nick Hewitt, Peter Carson

Comments

Neil Morrison, 2018 Oct 26 - 19:33 UTC

Great image . I had the pleasure of hearing a talk by Alton Arp at at SAGAS/ Night Life Convention in Portsmouth some years ago; a fascinating and informative talk on active Galaxys. Other speakers were Patrick Moore and Douglas Arnold. A memorable day indeed..

Mike Foylan, 2018 Oct 26 - 22:57 UTC

Thanks Neil. That sounds like an amazing time with great memories, it's sad that we have lost some great people but their work lives on.

Copyright of all images and other observations submitted to the BAA remains with the owner of the work. Reproduction of work by third parties is expressly forbidden without the consent of the copyright holder. By submitting images to this online gallery, you grant the BAA permission to reproduce them in any of our publications.

Registered charity no. 210769
Registered company no. 117572

For more information including contact details, click here.

Our Terms of Use are here.

Our Privacy Policy is here.