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(IAAC) Obj: NGC 4038 & NGC 4039, Ring-Tail Galaxy, Antennae Galaxy - Inst: 16" f/4.45 newtonian, truss-dob
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Observation Poster: Don Clouse <dlcdeepsky@insightbb.com>
Observer: Don Clouse
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 12:50 am, April 6, 2003, EST
Location of site: near Curby, southern Indiana, USA (Lat 38d17m, Elev 785 feet)
Site classification: Rural
Sky darkness: 6 <1-10 Scale (10 best)>
Seeing: 6 <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: 16" f/4.45 newtonian, truss-dob
Magnification: 120x
Filter(s): none
Object(s): NGC 4038 & NGC 4039, Ring-Tail Galaxy, Antennae Galaxy
Category: External galaxy.
Class: SB(s)m pec, SA(s)m pec
Constellation: Crv
Data: mag 10.5v, 10.3v size 3.7'x1.7', 4.0'x2.2'
Position: RA 12m:2m DEC -18d:53m
Description:
At 120x (15mm Panoptic, 34' true field), NGC 4038 and 4039 were an estimated
2'x2' combined. The northern galaxy, NGC 4038, is the brighter. A dark,
narrow wedge opening to the west separates the galaxies. A core area is not
evident in either galaxy. However, each has a slender east-west trending arc
of brighter material. The arc in the southern galaxy, NGC 4039, is slimmer,
continuous, and lies near the edge of the gulf, or dark wedge. NGC 4038's
bright arc is divided into east and west segments each about 0.5' in length.
An intriguing pair hinting at much more detail.
This was my first time observing this galaxy pair and my first logged
observation with my new 16" NightSky Scope. Given that Corvus sits pretty low
in the sky from the latitude of Louisville, KY and the muck in the south that evening, I was quite pleased with the view. This pair must look pretty
spectacular under more transparent and more southerly skies. I spent most of
of the new scope's first trip to dark skies (the transparency was more like a 7 of 10 higher in the sky) just looking at old favorites with new eyes! I didn't
bother with logging the rest of the evening, but I couldn't resist at least one
new object and one new log entry! Clear skies, Don.
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