Object of The Week November 24, 2024-UGC 4185 3 for 1

[Jimi Lowrey]

UGC 4185
UGC 4186
MCG +11-10-55

CAMELOPARDALIS
RA 08 04 08
DEC 62 59 02

TYPE EO Galaxy
Mag 15.6
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It is not often you run across 3 edge on galaxies in the same field. The UGC 4185 group is pretty unusual.

ugc4185.jpg

I have observed this group a few times over the years an always find it most interesting. UGC 4185 is in the center of the group and UGC 4186 is to the left in the above image. I find them of equal brightness and not very difficult. MCG +11-10-55 below in the image is a horse of a different color. I find it extremely low surface brightness and most difficult it shows up best for me with higher power and then it is just a small feeble streak. It is still cool to catch 3 edge on galaxies in the same field especially if you are an edge on galaxy fan and I am certainly in that club.

Give It A Go!
Good Luck and Great Viewing

[FaintFuzzies]

Nice trio of flat galaxies.

My brief notes with my 22" observed 14 years ago. Observing site was at 7,800 feet elevation and NELM that night was 7.2

UGC 4186 (08 04 14.0 +62 58 54 mag 15.7 size 1.3x0.2)
UGC 4185 (mag 15.6 size 1.3x0.2’)
MCG +11-10-55 (mag 17.2 and 0.7x0.1’)

Three Flat/Edge-on galaxies
(22” at 184, 255, 328, 383 and 460x) - UGC 4186 – Considerably faint thin glow with a brighter center. PA = 135 and 0.9’ long. About 0.7’ west is UGC 4185 – Considerably faint thin even surface brightness glow. PA = 150 and 0.7’ long. UGC 4186 is slightly brighter. MCG +11-10-55 is an extremely faint thin glow. Seen at 460x only. PA = 105 and 0.4’ long.


This trio is in my Flat Galaxy Observing Guide on page 74.

[Steve Gottlieb]

Here are my observations of the galaxies through Jimi's scope back in February 2012 at 488x and my 24" at 375x the following year on a night when heavy dew cut down the transparency:

UGC 4185
48": fairly faint streak 6:1 NW-SE, ~0.9'x0.15', small brighter core.
24": very faint, extending 5:1 NW-SE, 0.8'x0.15', low even surface brightness.

UGC 4186
48": fairly faint streak 6:1 NW-SE, ~1.0'x0.15', very small bright core. The center of UGC 4185 is just 0.7' WNW. The size and brightness of this pair is very similar and their PA's differ by only 15°.
24": very faint, extending 0.8'x0.15' NW-SE, low surface brightness.

MCG +11-10-055
48": faint, elongated 5:1 WNW-ESE, ~40"x8". Located just 1' S of the pair of UGCs. A distinctive trio of mag 12-15 stars forming a small right triangle is 1' SE.
24": a couple of marginal pops, but not a convincing observation.

LEDA 2646775
48": While I was observing MCG +11-10-055, I noticed a faint, small, round glow, ~12" diameter that was just 40" south. HyperLeda lists the B magnitude of LEDA 2646775 at 18.39 ± 0.50, though I wouldn't be surprised if it was a bit brighter than this figure. The galaxy is just outside the bottom frame of Jimi's image.