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Hi all,

I'm really interested in Ring galaxies. A google search said that NGC 3685 Helix nebula is a Polar Ring galaxy. APOD has a picture of dual ring galaxies (Arp 147) that is 15 mag. Has anyone out there been able to see a ring galaxy through their equipment? Have a list?

Thanks...

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Well, I have seen a few spiral galaxies which had faint ring-like outer spiral arm segments, but I have seen none of the distant arc-like 'ring' galaxies which have little if any core (the Arp 147 kind). M77 has a nearly circular faint outer ring which I have glimpsed in my 9.25" SCT (see Rick Johnson's M77 image below). The "Polar Ring" galaxies have a bit different appearance with a central galaxy seemingly surrounded by a ring-like segment at nearly a right-angle to the axis of the central galaxy. As for NGC 3685, there is some discrepancy here. The revised NGC (1973) indicates that it apparently does not exist, while the NGC/IC Project page indicates that it is one of a pair of very faint galaxies in Leo (possible positional error). You might be referring to NGC 2685 which is often classified as a polar ring galaxy. It isn't the "Helix Nebula", as that is the large planetary NGC 7293 in Aquarius. Clear skies to you.

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David W. Knisely
Hyde Memorial Observatory
http://www.hydeobservatory.info
Prairie Astronomy Club
http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org

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... As for NGC 3685, there is some discrepancy here. The revised NGC (1973) indicates that it apparently does not exist, while the NGC/IC Project page indicates that it is one of a pair of very faint galaxies in Leo (possible positional error). You might be referring to NGC 2685 which is often classified as a polar ring galaxy. It isn't the "Helix Nebula", as that is the large planetary NGC 7293 in Aquarius. Clear skies to you.

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You mean something like Hoag's Object, David?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoag's_Object
It was on my object list for the 25" last year, but weather conditions never were ageeable when I was out at the observatory. Give it a shot next time you are at Cherry Springs or at the Almost Heaven party.

Bill

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You mean something like Hoag's Object, David?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoag's_Object
It was on my object list for the 25" last year, but weather conditions never were ageeable when I was out at the observatory. Give it a shot next time you are at Cherry Springs or at the Almost Heaven party.

Bill

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Here's an observation of Hoag's (Ring) Object with my 18-inch from last summer's Golden State Star Party in early July, '08. No sign of outer ring, though just viewing the core itself wasn't easy.

At 280x this ring galaxy appeared extremely faint, very small, round, 20" diameter, low even surface brightness. Visible roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of the time with averted vision and could hold only a few seconds at a time. Viewed the core only with no indication of the fainter outer ring. Situated just east of the midpoint of a 8' line connecting two mag 10 and 11 stars oriented SE to NW. Several fainter stars are grouped to the south of the mag 11 star.

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I was with Steve at GSSP and observed it through his 18" and my 30". We could not discern the ring structure even in the 30".

I do recall reading an observing report from a few folks from Texas Star Party that Bob(?) Christanson, Larry Mitchell and maybe Faith Jordan observing the ring of Hoag's object during last years star party. They used a 25" and 36" reflectors. Perhaps Faith can chime in.

Another faint ring I observed was Arp 147. I was shocked that I actually saw a brightening on one side. I'll post my notes when i get home tonight. Another observe confirmed my view so I know that I wasn't imagining things, which I thought I was. It was very transparent and steady that night.

--------------------
Clear Skies,
Alvin #26
22" f/4.0 reflector and 30" f/4.3 StarMaster
FaintFuzzies | TAC | TAC-Sac

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You mean something like Hoag's Object, David?

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Here's an observation of Hoag's (Ring) Object with my 18-inch from last summer's Golden State Star Party in early July, '08. No sign of outer ring, though just viewing the core itself wasn't easy.

At 280x this ring galaxy appeared extremely faint, very small, round, 20" diameter, low even surface brightness. Visible roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of the time with averted vision and could hold only a few seconds at a time. Viewed the core only with no indication of the fainter outer ring. Situated just east of the midpoint of a 8' line connecting two mag 10 and 11 stars oriented SE to NW. Several fainter stars are grouped to the south of the mag 11 star.

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I was with Steve at GSSP and observed it through his 18" and my 30". We could not discern the ring structure even in the 30".

I do recall reading an observing report from a few folks from Texas Star Party that Bob(?) Christanson, Larry Mitchell and maybe Faith Jordan observing the ring of Hoag's object during last years star party. They used a 25" and 36" reflectors. Perhaps Faith can chime in.

Another faint ring I observed was Arp 147. I was shocked that I actually saw a brightening on one side. I'll post my notes when i get home tonight. Another observe confirmed my view so I know that I wasn't imagining things, which I thought I was. It was very transparent and steady that night.

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I was with Steve at GSSP and observed it through his 18" and my 30". We could not discern the ring structure even in the 30".

I do recall reading an observing report from a few folks from Texas Star Party that Bob(?) Christanson, Larry Mitchell and maybe Faith Jordan observing the ring of Hoag's object during last years star party. They used a 25" and 36" reflectors. Perhaps Faith can chime in.

Another faint ring I observed was Arp 147. I was shocked that I actually saw a brightening on one side. I'll post my notes when i get home tonight. Another observe confirmed my view so I know that I wasn't imagining things, which I thought I was. It was very transparent and steady that night.

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My notes from The Yard Scope (36" f/5) at TSP last year read that we could not see the ring.

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Bic,

Are you refering to Hoag's object or Arp 147?

Thanks!

--------------------
Clear Skies,
Alvin #26
22" f/4.0 reflector and 30" f/4.3 StarMaster
FaintFuzzies | TAC | TAC-Sac

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I was with Steve at GSSP and observed it through his 18" and my 30". We could not discern the ring structure even in the 30".

I do recall reading an observing report from a few folks from Texas Star Party that Bob(?) Christanson, Larry Mitchell and maybe Faith Jordan observing the ring of Hoag's object during last years star party. They used a 25" and 36" reflectors. Perhaps Faith can chime in.

Another faint ring I observed was Arp 147. I was shocked that I actually saw a brightening on one side. I'll post my notes when i get home tonight. Another observe confirmed my view so I know that I wasn't imagining things, which I thought I was. It was very transparent and steady that night.

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My notes from The Yard Scope (36" f/5) at TSP last year read that we could not see the ring.

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Bic,

Are you refering to Hoag's object or Arp 147?

Thanks!

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I believe I read a report from Faith, that they saw the "Ring" structure of Hoag's Object using that new big OMI scope in the private observatory close by the TSP.

A scope that size is practically cheating right? ; )

Bill

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6'' Orion SkyQuest
12.5'' f/5 Custom Truss Dob
William Optics 80mm ZenithStar ED II
f/5 25" newtonian on a giant GEM, any time I want

Observing sessions grand total for 2008, 121.
So far in 2009, 92

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I clicked on the NGC numbers and when the website came up it said that the page I requested could not be shown

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Edited the post above. Links should work now. I guess my free host doesn't allow direct links to images to protect against hotlinking. Sorry for the glitch.

--------------------
Zizzapnia
http://astronomerica.awardspace.com

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Here are some ring or ring-like galaxies from my website (SDSS images). These are all 13.5' x 10' (roughly a high power view) which should give you an idea of the scale. Sorry I haven't gotten most of them their own proper pages with data- still working on that. Most if not all are visible in medium scopes, but seeing the rings is another story...

NGC 6028

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Lots more, I'm sure.

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You mean something like Hoag's Object, David?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoag's_Object
It was on my object list for the 25" last year, but weather conditions never were ageeable when I was out at the observatory. Give it a shot next time you are at Cherry Springs or at the Almost Heaven party.

Bill

---

Here's an observation of Hoag's (Ring) Object with my 18-inch from last summer's Golden State Star Party in early July, '08. No sign of outer ring, though just viewing the core itself wasn't easy.

At 280x this ring galaxy appeared extremely faint, very small, round, 20" diameter, low even surface brightness. Visible roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of the time with averted vision and could hold only a few seconds at a time. Viewed the core only with no indication of the fainter outer ring. Situated just east of the midpoint of a 8' line connecting two mag 10 and 11 stars oriented SE to NW. Several fainter stars are grouped to the south of the mag 11 star.

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I was with Steve at GSSP and observed it through his 18" and my 30". We could not discern the ring structure even in the 30".

I do recall reading an observing report from a few folks from Texas Star Party that Bob(?) Christanson, Larry Mitchell and maybe Faith Jordan observing the ring of Hoag's object during last years star party. They used a 25" and 36" reflectors. Perhaps Faith can chime in.

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I can indeed chime in - sorry it's a few months late, I missed this thread somehow! Here's what I wrote on my blog, from the notes I made that night: 'The most interesting object of the night was the ring galaxy Hoag's Object (PGC 54559) in Serpens Caput, seen though the [Jim Chandler's] 30 inch. The core was seen easily enough but the ring was tougher. Some people saw it, others didn't. I eventually saw it, but only after a lot of staring with averted vision. Part of it popped into view, then another part and eventually the whole ring appeared for a second before disappearing again.'
I didn't see it with any of the other scopes. I didn't look at it with the 36", for some reason.

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Visual Deep Sky Observing - NEW website
Observing blog
My astronomy event photos on Flickr

12 inch Dob
8 inch Celestron C8 Newtonian
4 inch Meade SCT
8x42 Leica binoculars
Various TeleVue eyepieces

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