DISTANT GALAXIES IN THE NGC/IC CATALOGUES

[Mike JW]

This thread is devoted to the distant galaxies to be found in the NGC and IC catalogues. Below is a spreadsheet with them listed - 94 in total. They are mostly found in Leo and Com.

I have observed 14 of them so far. I find it quite awesome to think that these readily observed galaxies are at least a billion light years away. 

Distant Galaxies with coordinates.xlsx

[Mike JW]

22/01/21 - observing in the early hours I decided to take a look at IC 2938 - an elliptical in Leo.. It lies about 1.07 billion lyrs away (depends on which source you use). At a mag of about 14.5, this galaxy must be big.

So no surprise to see an oval, bright fuzz but then the fun started. A line of two/three galaxies near to it, IC 2938 -2 and then to the right is IC 2938 -3. Now fired up and wondering what the other fuzz spots might be - a job for the morning.

Below is a zoomed in shot and labelled according to NED information . I am amazed at the number of galaxies and just how faint they are. The mag 20 fuzz spots I sort of doubt but they do remain as I reduce the noise in the image so it looks like I have mag 20 galaxies confirmed !!!!

The redshift values for IC 2938, the one labelled 18.3 and the 17.5 are very similar so likely to be in the same vicinity. As to the rest - no information.

Mike (I may add my previous observations into this thread)

 

[Martin Meredith]

Beautiful observation. It's great when you come across something different and better than expected. It happens to me about once a session and is part of the pleasure of this hobby.

Great idea for a thread. There's nothing like pushing the equipment as far and deep as it can go. I look forward to checking some of my observations against this list.

Martin

Edited January 22, 2021 by Martin Meredith

[Sunshine]

Fascinating, at those magnitudes they're well beyond by scope, even if it were in orbit.

 

[Mike JW]

An earlier observation in Lynx - IC 2221. The only distant NGC/IC galaxy in Lynx. This shot is before I started using Jocular. Not spectacular but at 1.18 billion lyrs away what did I expect. A mag 15 lenticular galaxy (EO). The other galaxies in the shot add extra interest.

[Mike JW]

March 2020 saw me take a peak at his far out galaxy - IC 2567.  This one lurks about 2.1 billion lyrs away and still shines at mag 16, another lenticular (EO). Visually it would have required a very good night to have just detected it with my 20" (needed a 24" to confirm it). NED notes that it could be a galaxy cluster - will we ever know? Just to one side of it is a bit of fuzz (same side as the bright star) with a designation of mag 19 galaxy.

Right on the left hand edge is a nice edge on galaxy - IC 2661. Sadly so it does not make the distant galaxy list just a mere 350 million lyrs away, mag 15. BUT note that little fuzz spot on its edge - NED says galaxy, mag 17.4 (also suggests a galaxy cluster?) but wait for it the red shift suggests approx 920 million lyrs away - distant in my book! There are others in the shot approaching the billion mark.

Mike

 

 

[Martin Meredith]

I see IC 2938 is classified as a Palomar Compact Group too. I think you did get the mag 20 gx. One of the Hickson groups (HCG 50 in UMA) has a mag 20.0 member which is quite tough to get.

I just checked my observations and don't have any on that list, unless they're listed under a different name as part of another capture.

Martin

[Mike JW]

Martin, I had not even thought it would be a PCG - that means I did three PCGs in total in the early hours. I will post the other two PCGs at some point in the PCG thread.

Mike

[mdstuart]

I have not managed any of these visually. I will make a point of trying a few of the brightest. Which ones have the highest surface brightness?

Mark

[Mike JW]

Mark - I assume you are referring to IC 2221 (S B of 23.9) and IC 2222 (S B of 23.2).  2222 at mag 14.5 is probably direct in the 20 on a vg night. 2221 at mag 15.2 will be AV on a vg night.

[icpn]

Mike not sure if you saw this, or indeed if it is the source for your information http://www.deepskyforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=3495&d=1556044862

 

It is Jimi Lowrey's list.

 

Owen

[Mike JW]

NGC 5914B in Bootes is around the 1 billion lyr distance and is near to VV 1750. I could not find any other information on this galaxy.

 

Mike