Designation(s) | Arp 137, NGC 2914 |
Object Type(s) | Galaxy |
Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Arp, NGC |
Arp Category | Material emanating from elliptical galaxies |
Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 17', 073° 57' |
Constellation | Leo |
Date and Time Observed | 2025-01-26 22:19:00 |
Instrument | EdgeHD 8" w/f7 reducer-1,422mm FL |
Camera | Player One Apollo-M Mini |
Image Details | Up is 0.6 degrees E of N. Total integration time was 30m. Exposures 30s@300g, UV/IR Cut Filter. Darks subtracted, no flats. Dithered and recentered in SharpCap. No guiding. |
Description | This is a bonus object, imaged within the same field of view as Arp 232. I was not aware of their proximity when I captured the observation. I did process this differently with two levels of sharpening to emphasize the separation of the upper arm from the galaxy center. When I created the comparison image, I noticed that the smaller of the double stars to the left (west) of the target has orbited to new position since Arp's image. This is a first for me. As for Arp's classifying this as "material emanating from an elliptical galaxy," I'm not sure he's right. My first clue was the size of the stars. Normally the Arp images are pinpoint compared to my 8" EdgeHD, but here (as you can see in the comparison image) the stars are similarly sized. This suggests to me that Arp's image is overexposed and blew out any detail in the galaxy disk, making it appear elliptical. I then went searching for sources after the fact and discovered Gary Imm's images of Arp 137 that he classifies as a barred spiral. It seems to me that interpreting this image as a spiral galaxy with one extended arm, is more likely, even given Arp's image. Arp may have been excited to find an elliptical emanating material, but may be victim to his own confirmation bias. |
Related Observations | Arp137 (2) Arp232 (2) NGC2911 (2) NGC2914 (2) |
Catalog Links | |