Object of the Week - April 3rd, 2016 - Hickson 68 Group: NGC 5350, 5354, 5353, 5355, 5358

[Paul Alsing]

Hickson 68 Group: NGC 5350, 5354, 5353, 5355, 5358 + a bonus, NGC 5371
Canes Venatici

R.A. (NGC 5350): 13h53m21.6s
Dec.: +40°21'50" (2000)
Size: 2.8'x 1.9' Mag: 12.30 B

This report is a day late because on Sunday I was in Death Valley, California, observing this amazing Hickson galaxy group! This remote observing location is well away from any cell phone or internet coverage, so my report just had to wait.

This 5-galaxy group has to be one of the more spectacular Hickson's, and is impressive in telescope of all sizes. The (3) brighter members have magnitudes all in the 12's and the other (2) members are in the 14's, but even the dimmer members have a decent surface brightness, so all are pretty easy to see. NGC 5350 is the anchor of the group and it is easy to see that it is a face-on spiral. The others, to my old eyes, are of indeterminate type... and they all turn out to be lenticular, which only means that they could be just about anything, see...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_galaxy

When you include nearby NGC 5371 (a bonus object), itself a more impressive spiral galaxy than any of the others in that area, this 'new' group is known as The Big Lick galaxy group, and in a low-power eyepiece all 6 galaxies can be seen in the same FOV! Spectacular! I was also able to just glimpse a 7th galaxy in the field, that being PGC 49480 (UGC 8841, MCG 7-29-18, mag 15.3). To round out the magnificent view, there is an orange star in the field, just bright enough to add to the ambiance without hampering the view of the galaxies.

Since I especially like double stars near galaxies, I will point out that there is a nice pair about 1 arc-second southwest of NGC 5358 and another wider pair almost on the line between NGC 5371 and PGC 49480, and these just add to the charm of the big picture.

The internet is full of glorious photos of this group, but this is one of the best, in my view...

http://www.distant-lights.at/hickson68-2012_05_17.htm

... because, if you hover your mouse over the image, all the objects are identified... and look at all the other galaxies in this area... but they are all mag 17+, so probably not on the to-do list for most of us.

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

[KidOrion]

By sheer coincidence, I observed this group for the first time the morning of April 2:

4/1(2)/16

EUREKA RIDGE (43 52' 38.88" N, 123 18' 33.32" W)
MOON: 25 days (Last Quarter), rose 3:55 AM
SEEING: 6
TRANSPARENCY: 6
SQM: 21.4 (midnight)
WEATHER CONDITIONS: temps in 40s, moderate dew after midnight, haze/smoke in air, slight breeze—zodiacal light bright and obvious, reaching past the Pleiades by 9:15

1:40
Hickson 68 (CVn)—at center of field is bright star, 7th mag—above by 4’ is 2’ round, very diffuse galaxy (NGC 5350)—slight central condesnation—averted brings out possible stellar nucleus—to SF side are two brighter, smaller galaxies—more northern (NGC 5354) is more diffuse—both about 1.5’—almost touching—more northern slightly more diffuse, slightly larger—one farthest south (NGC 5353) smaller but has brighter core—star-like nucleus—forming triangle with these three, farher from star on F side is smaller, almost “edge-on” (NGC 5355)—0.5’—oriented SP-NF—fairly obvious but would need to know where to look—between this last and previous pair is 14th star—when group drifts toward P edge of field, at top of field is much larger diffuse galaxy (NGC 5371)—3.5’—just off to F edge of galaxy is 8th star— maybe 0.5’ core—stellar nucleus visible in averted but not direct—subsumed into core

This is now my favorite Hickson, surpassing 44 in Leo and 90 in Pisces Austrinus. A stunning group!

[Atlas]

Paul,

What a beautiful sight! I observed the group for the first time the other night. The combination is just stunning: the 4 bright and small lenticular NGCs and the 2 delicate and large face-on spirals. Thank you for pointing this amazing group out to us!

Johannes

[Uwe Glahn]

Very nice group Paul. For sure one of the most beautiful group, especially for small and mid size telescopes. To my experience the group started its beauty from the 4-inch class. And you are right, NGC 5371 is a beauty itself.

HCG 68, 4", 88x, NELM 6m5+
HCG68_4.jpg

HCG 68, 16", 257x, NELM 6m5+
HCG68.jpg

NGC 5371, 27", 293x-519x, NELM 6m5+
NGC5371.jpg