Arp 37

ARP 37 2015 Dec 8

Object:      ARP 37    (M77, NGC 1068) Date:               2015 December 8
Peculiarity:    Spiral: low surface-brightness component on arm.
Constellation:           Cetus Time & altitude:  22.20 UT   38º
Catalogue data: Seeing (5 high):                               2/5
            R.A:                2h 43m Transparency (5 high):                   4/5
            Dec:                -0º 01 Telescope:     0.5m f4.1 Dob.
            Magnitude:    8.9 Eyepiece:      8mm Ethos      x260
            Galaxy size (mins):  7 x 6 Filters:            Lumicon Deep Sky

Notes:

First observations since November 13. The Met Office say November has been the dullest (i.e. cloudiest) since records began in 1929.

Arp 37 is the prototype Seyfert galaxy. I saw a conspicuous bright halo with a considerably brighter, elliptical core. Further study reveals the halo is much more extensive than it first appears, with successive fainter and fainter contours detected. Two spiral arms were seen, on the S and E sides. The third main arm on the NW side could not be traced. I also noted two dark lane arcs close in to the core. All the spiral structure features were low contrast and difficult.