Object of the week, Jan 17, 2021 - Arp 9, NGC 2523

[FaintFuzzies]

Object of the Week, January 9, 2021 – Arp 9, NGC 2523
Barred spiral galaxy in Camelopardalis
RA: 08 15 00.2 Dec: +73 34 44
Size: 2.9 x 1.7’ Mag: 12.6b

Since I’m revising my Arp book, I’ve decided to pick one of objects on this list. For this week, NGC 2523 (Arp 9) is a pretty ring barred spiral galaxy in Camelopardalis. Arp picked this galaxy for his list for the split arm, which is on the north side.

I picked this object because of the beautiful ring structure in a barred spiral galaxy and would love to see this again with a large telescope with a Zeiss eyepiece. I’m pretty sure that I would pick it up with a 25” or larger telescope under very dark skies. As a bonus, there is a nice 14th mag edge on galaxy with a visible dust lane about 9’ east.

The last time I looked at this galaxy was more than 15 years ago with my 22” with Tak LE and Pentax XL eyepieces.
My notes are as follows:
22" @ 305, 327 and 458x - This is a nice barred spiral galaxy with a sharp stellar nucleus. The west arm pointing north is only faintly visible as a brightening of the edge. 2:1 elongated patch with a central bar perpendicular to the major axis of the halo. PA = 30 and about 2.5’ long. Bar is about 1’ long and PA = 120º. Did not detect the split, which is the north arm.

DSS image
4175

Eyepiece rendition with my 22” at 305x
4176

Links to photos taken by amateur imagers.
http://bf-astro.com/ngc2523/ngc2523big.htm

http://www.caelumobservatory.com/obs/n2523.html

As always, give it a go and let us know.

[akarsh]

Very beautiful galaxy. I have not observed this, and so will add it to my list. Why is it on Arp's list though? It looks pretty "normal" and not very "peculiar" -- does anyone know?

[Clear Skies]

Why is it on Arp's list though? It looks pretty "normal" and not very "peculiar" -- does anyone know?

Halton Arp categorized this one as a spiral galaxy with a split arm, with the description "Bifurcated arm does not start at end of bar."

The northern arm of the galaxy splits into two, extending towards the ENE (I admit I had to look up the definition of "bifurcation", but I think I now understand (https://www.amazon.com/Weber-6615-Original-Fork/dp/B005LR14OS)).

I have a single observation logged for this one in February 2018 from dark northeast Germany, 14" SCT @ 168x/29':

Sharing the FoV with the galaxy NGC2523B, 1/3 FoV to the WSW, NGC2523 is the ENE galaxy: Much larger and slightly brighter than NGC2523B, almost round without AV, an ESE-WNW elongated glow with a brighter core that is elongated in the same direction. Using AV the brighter core is slightly larger, surrounded by the faint outer halo of the galaxy that extend SW to NE. Not very bright but with a notable shape and brighter core. Darker parts or a central ring shape can not be discerned.

[Bertrand Laville]

Hi All,

I can contribute to this OOTW witj a drawing of NGC 2523, but also NGC 2523B, with my 25".
Report here: http://www.deepsky-drawings.com/ngc-2523-2523b/dsdlang/fr

Clear sky
Bertrand

4177

[FaintFuzzies]

Nice sketch Bertrand! What you saw is as expected with a 25" compared to my 22".


Hi All,

I can contribute to this OOTW witj a drawing of NGC 2523, but also NGC 2523B, with my 25".
Report here: http://www.deepsky-drawings.com/ngc-2523-2523b/dsdlang/fr





Clear sky
Bertrand

4177

[Uwe Glahn]

Nice galaxy but no spectacular view through the 16-inch and no spiral structure visible.
I wrote. 16", 225x, NELM 6m0+, Seeing IV: bright, nearly stellar nucleus; faint bar elongated SE-NW; to the NE and SW faint extensions but no sign of the spirals; NE side somewhat brighter

[Ivan Maly]

Very nice object. I have this observation from about two years ago.

20" (F/5). SQM 21.0, good seeing. Arp 9, NGC 2523, Cam. NE of a star. 13 mm: Bar WNW-ESE, small bright core in the middle. Short arm from E end of the bar, weakly CCW to half the distance from the bar end to the star. Stronger arm opposite, slightly longer. 8 mm: Enhanced edge of the halo curving from near the end of the SE arm to W end of the bar. Detached small enhancement beyond the end of the N arm, at almost twice the distance from the bar end.