| Designation(s) | Arp 271, NGC 5426, NGC 5427 |
| Object Type(s) | Galaxy |
| Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Arp, NGC |
| Arp Category | Galaxies with connected arms |
| Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 17', 073° 57' |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Date and Time Observed | 2024-05-13 01:55:00 |
| Instrument | EdgeHD 8" f10-2,032mm FL |
| Camera | ASI294mc-Pro |
| Image Details | Up is 16.5 degrees E of N. Total integration time was 15m. Exposures 30s@305g, UV/IR Cut Filter. Darks subtracted, no flats. Dithered and recentered in SharpCap. No guiding. |
| Description | Captured at the end of a long evening. I'd been focused on Messier objects due to so-so transparency, but decided it had cleared up enough at 1:30 AM. Wonderful, relatively bright observation showing two spiral galaxies heavily interacting. Whether it's a future merger or a near miss is beyond my expertise, but the exchange is clearly visible. Arp remarked: "Arms linked. Note bifurcation in arm of N spiral." I believe Arp is describing the bottom arm of NGC 5427 which is rooted in another arm rather than in the nucleus. There is actually faint glow at the point of intersection. I'm tempted to speculate but won't. |
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