Object: ARP 91 (NGC 5953 & 5954) |
Date: 2015 August 8
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Peculiarity: Spiral with large high surface brightness companion on arms. | |
Constellation: Serpens | Time & altitude: 21.50 UT 34º |
Catalogue data: | Seeing (5 high): 4/5 |
R.A: 15h 35m | Transparency (5 high): 4/5 |
Dec: +15º 12 | Telescope: 0.5m f4.1 Dob. |
Magnitudes: 13.3 & 13.7 | Eyepiece: 8mm Ethos x260 |
Galaxy sizes (mins): 1.6×1.3 & 1.3×0.6 | Filters: None. |
Notes: A pair of galaxies seen in contact and aligned more or less EW. NGC 5953 precedes and is the more easily seen of the pair. It is round. NGC 5954 is elongated 5:2 in NE-SW. Oddly, in Arp’s photo the elongation is NS so possibly I am seeing a hint of the tidally distorted arm that points to 5953. No structure seen in either galaxy. A 15.3m star preceding 5953 was not seen, I suspect due to low altitude and it not being quite the end of twilight. |