Object of the Week September 2, 2012 UGC 12281 (Looking for the flattest of the flat)

[Jimi Lowrey]

UGC 12281

Type Superthin Sd Galaxy

Pegasus

RA
22 59 12.7

DEC
+13 26 23

MAG 14.8 P

Size 3.4X0.2

This is the second addition to (Looking for the flattest of the flat) UGC 12281 Is a long faint streak that really grows with averted vision. It appears to my eye to be slightly bent on the north end which is not uncommon for superthin galaxies.
294

1/3 South of the North end on the East side of UGC12281 is the almost superimposed Galaxy 2MASX j22591450+1336423 this is a really good challenge object and if you are able to glimpses this dim rare polar ring type galaxy you will be in the company of very few visual observers who have seen it.


Sue French pointed out to me last year a dwarf companion to UGC 12281 that I have missed over the years. I have it on my list to try this season and I hope to catch its faint glow and will post my observations if I do. I tried it last new moon on a not so good night and had no luck but will keep after it!
295

"GIVE IT A GO AND LET US KNOW"

GOOD LUCK AND GREAT VIEWING!

[Marko]

Just picked up this last GSSP per Jimi's recommendation for ultra flats and I too did not notice the companion.

Date: 7/19/2012 Site: AdinCa Scope: 18" f/3.7 (no paracorr)
NELM: 6.7 see: 5 trans: 4 sqm: 21.65

con: Peg cmt1: UltraThinFromDSF:
UGC 12281 CGCG 430-39 MCG +2-58-43 KUG 2256+133 IRAS 22567+1320 PGC 70175
Glxy 14.8p 3.4x 0.2' 30 Sdm: RC3 22 59 12.7 +13 36 23
2:30am 6mmTmb 282x 1/2fov [3.2'] at least 10:1 EL 45dPA The 6mmTmb is similar view to 7mmNagler. A very dim FStar touches the galaxy SW of the core and below the glow in this view. A brighter FStar is 1/10fov [38"] down and to the right of the object [W].

[Steve Gottlieb]

This is one super-slender galaxy and an excellent challenge object for a 14" to 18" scope! My view was from 8200 ft at Lassen National Park a couple of summers back. Like Marko, the 2MASX galaxy was not seen.

18" (8/12/10): extremely faint, fairly small, extremely thin slash ~1.0'x0.1' SW-NE. A mag 14 star is just preceding the SW tip and a mag 13 star is 1' W of center.

[MarcE]

Hi all,
great object and a real challenge for me and my 15inch obsession last year. UGC 12281 under quite good conditions (bavarian alps/4000ft/NELM 6.5) was very faint and very thin. Magnification was 200x. I could not detect the companion.
I will try this autumn again.
Clear skies
Marc

[Uwe Glahn]

We tried it with my 27" last days under perfectly clear alpine skies. With 293x the galaxy itself seemed to be very long, approx 1:6. South of the 14mag star the brightness turns nearly to "not visible". Three knots could been resolved, two nearly the center and one small knot at the NE end. We tried to see the companion and we were unsure if it was visible. Two of us see it as a extremely faint peak next to the galaxy line, one does not see it. We don't try the dwarf. An absolutely tough one for an 27" grab and go travel telescope :)

[FaintFuzzies]

Great object - here is my observation on a night which I focused on flat galaxies.

(22” at 184, 230 and 328x) – Faint long thin glow, defined edges, slightly brighter center. PA = 30 and 2.4’ long. A 15.7 mag star lies just off the west edge near the center. A blazing 8.8 mag star lies 6.4’ NE from the center. A 13.7 mag star lies 0.6’ SW from center and a mag 12.9 star lies 1.2’ due west of center .

And the link to my observations for that night... http://www.faintfuzzies.com/OR-Aug072010-IHOP.html

[FaintFuzzies]

Great object - here is my observation on a night which I focused on flat galaxies.

(22” at 184, 230 and 328x) – Faint long thin glow, defined edges, slightly brighter center. PA = 30 and 2.4’ long. A 15.7 mag star lies just off the west edge near the center. A blazing 8.8 mag star lies 6.4’ NE from the center. A 13.7 mag star lies 0.6’ SW from center and a mag 12.9 star lies 1.2’ due west of center .

And the link to my observations for that night... http://www.faintfuzzies.com/OR-Aug072010-IHOP.html