Object of the Week January 1, 2017- IC 412 and IC 413 (A Cosmic Dance in Orion)

[Jimi Lowrey]

IC 412 and IC413

Orion

RA
05 21 56
DEC
+03 29 15

MAG 14.6P

Type S?

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IC 412 and IC 413 are a interacting pair locked in a cosmic dance in Orion. The pair were found by Professor E E Barnard with a 12" refactor in 1888. The pair are unusual in that there are not many interacting galaxy pairs in Orion that I know. Not a lot of research has been done on them but they are in the Vorontsov-Velyaminov interaction galaxy catalog as VV 225.

2418

I viewed this small pair last year and noted that the tidal tail to the north of IC 412 was direct vision. I missed the dust lane in IC 413 and that is a good reason to revisit this small interacting pair soon. I wounder why DR. Arp did not put this interacting group in his catalog? Next time out be sure to check out this unusual interacting pair in Orion that are locked in a cosmic dance and as always----

Give It a Go and let us Know!

Happy New Year and good Deep Sky Hunting to you all In 2017.

[Uwe Glahn]

Happy New Year to all, too.

Nice duo Jimi. I noted for both tidal tails: "tidal arms easy to see, steadily visible with averted vision"

27", 419x, NELM 6m5+, Seeing V
2419

[Howard B]

Happy 2017 to us all!

My only observation of IC 412 and 413 is from almost exactly three years ago - January 4, 2014:

"The sketch shows IC 412 and 413. an interacting pair of galaxies. IC 414 is a faint smudge about two inches off the top right corner of this page, at this scale. The only detail I can make out in 412/413 is the stellar core of 412 and a slight asymmetry to 413. 408x, 21.15 SQM."

2420 2421

I'll need a better night to be able to see the tidal tails...

[Jim Chandler]

In a "it's a small world" vein, my only observation of IC 412/413 is from January 2, 2014, a decidely mediocre night:

Transparency 7/10
Seeing 5/10
Humidity 55%
350x

"Two small face-on galaxies. Tidal tails seen on DSS not detected. Need to revisit on a better night."

[Howard B]

Small universe Jim!