Observation by Peter Goodhew: NGC 660 in Pisces

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Observer

Peter Goodhew

Observed

2018 Oct 07 - 00:05

Uploaded

2018 Nov 09 - 15:03

Objects

NGC660

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Constellation

Pisces

Field centre

RA: 01^h42^m
Dec: +13°39'
Position angle: +72°37'

Field size

0°36' × 0°24'

Equipment

APM TMB 152 F8 LZOS scope
QSI6120ws8 camera

Exposure

R,G,B 12x600s each bin 1x1 L 30x900s each bin 1x1

Location

Alcalili, Spain

Target name

NGC 660

Title

NGC 660 in Pisces

About this image

Graham describes the image as follows: 40 million light years from Earth in the constellation of Pisces, NGC 660's peculiar appearance marks it as a polar ring galaxy - a rare galaxy type. Polar ring galaxies have a substantial population of stars, gas, and dust orbiting in rings significantly inclined to the plane of the galactic disk. The bizarre-looking configuration could have been caused by the chance capture of material from a passing galaxy by a disk galaxy, with the captured debris eventually strung out in a rotating ring. The polar ring component can also be used to explore the shape of the galaxy's otherwise unseen dark matter halo by calculating the dark matter's gravitational influence on the rotation of the ring and disk. Broader than the disk, NGC 660's ring spans over 50,000 light-years.

Files associated with this observation

wk46_18_n660_goodhew_071018.jpg (27.5 kB)

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