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(IAAC) Obj: NGC 4606, NGC 4607 - Inst: 20" f/5 Dobsonian
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Observer: Lew Gramer
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 1998-01-01/02 11:00 UT
Location of site: Deerfield Township, OH, USA (Lat 41oN, Elev 100m)
Site classification: Rural
Sky darkness: 6.8 (cirrus) <Limiting magnitude>
Seeing: 7 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 20" f/5 Dobsonian
Magnification: 70x, 210x
Filter(s): None
Object(s): NGC 4606, NGC 4607
Category: External galaxy
Class: SBa:, SBb:
Constellation: Vir
Data: mag 11.9, 12.9 size 2.8'x1.5, 3.2'x0.8'
Position: RA 12:41 DEC +11:54
Description:
Another pairing of galaxies within the M60 "group" (see previous logs for M60,
M59, n4647, n4638, n4637) is the slightly more challenging duo N4606 and N4607.
NGC 4606 is just one high-power field of view NW of M59, apparent even to direct
vision as a strikingly bright spindle of light. At its center lies an intensely
concentrated but very faint nucleus, best seen with averted vision tonight. The
spindle is oriented NE-SW, and (besides the nucleus) is surprisingly evenly lit.
Companion NGC 4607 was not seen at all at 70x, but was strongly suspected with
averted vision at 210x, a few minutes E of '06: I was somewhat distracted by an
11th magnitude star in the field, though, just N of the center of the pair.
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