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jhors
Riddle me this
Reged: 07/16/07
Posts: 737
Loc: Tempe, AZ
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OK...I don't know what the common name is, but after seeing this pair for the first time last night, that's how I've been thinking of NGC 4631 and nearby 4656.
WOW! Bright, large, and extremely elongated 4631 and smaller and fainter, rectangular-shaped, "L"-ended 4656 are quite a nice contrasting pair! They occupy opposite edges of the same FoV at 92x.
M51, Cocoon, Ringtail, and Siamese Twins are examples of interesting interacting pairs I've observed recently. Maybe it goes back to my infatuation with M81 & 82 and the Leo Triplett, but I also very much enjoy seeing contrasting duos/trios of galaxies.
What are some of your favorite interacting or contrasting pairs of galaxies that can be seen in a 10" scope? Is there a commonly accepted name for 4631 and 4656 and what do you think of this pairing?
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-Josh
Florence Junction:
Antenna:
10" Dob
10 x 50 Bino's
I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars -Walt Whitman
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sgottlieb
sage
Reged: 07/22/07
Posts: 243
Loc: SF Bay area
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Quote:
OK...I don't know what the common name is, but after seeing this pair for the first time last night, that's how I've been thinking of NGC 4631 and nearby 4656
NGC 4631 is often referred to as the Whale Galaxy and 4656 as the Hockey Stick. Here's part of an observing report I wrote 9 years back with another moniker...
John Gleason refers to the popular target NGC 4631 as the Millenium Falcon starship - complete with scout craft off the north edge. At 280x (14' field) this remarkable galaxy literally ran edge to edge across the 14' field. The surface brightness was unusually irregular with bright and dark mottling across the surface. There was no well-defined core but a prominent knot is close east of the geometric center along the north side and a second weaker knot is along the W side. The north edge has an unusually "scalloped" appearance particularly along the west side due to dust and brighter splotches. The galaxy gradually bulges towards the center and tapers at the tips, particularly along the west end. A mag 13 star is situated just north of the edge at the geometric center and NGC 4627 appears to hover over this "starship" a couple of arcmin NW of center.
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Steve Gottlieb
18" f/4.3 Starmaster
Adventures In Deep Space - New article on MASH planetaries
7500+ NGC/IC Visual Descriptions
NGC/IC Project
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ursamajor
member
Reged: 07/24/07
Posts: 88
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Try for the trio in Draco. NGC5985 ,5982 (both about 11 mag) and the tougher 5981 make a tight grouping only about 15' wide. They are also in a perfect straight line equally seperated and each with a different appearance.
I think spotting the third galaxy in a 10" will be difficult but using the other two as a guide you may spot it under a good sky.
I've heard it called different names but I like the "Draco sampler".
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Using a goto scope is like fishing with hand grenades...
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bper
member
Reged: 02/22/08
Posts: 42
Loc: Yakima Washington
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This time of year, I like M84 and M86 in Virgo. They are a nice bright pair and with a lot of lesser galaxies in the near area, you can spend an entire evening their with a 10". Just trying to identify all of them can be fun. Of course, I always end up somehow at the Sombrero, M104 - Go figure.
BTW - I think I have heard the pair the OP mentioned as the puck and hockey stick before at some of the star parties.
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Bruce Perrault
The Cowiche Astronomer
Yakima Astronomical Society
Goldendale Observatory State Park
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