Recent Hickson group observations

Recent Hickson group observations
By Steve Gottlieb

With all of the discussion on H-B, I thought I'd throw into the mix some faint galaxy groups. These were observed last Saturday night with a 17.5" f/4.4 at 220x and 280x in mag 6.4 skies. Good finder charts using the Guide Star Catalogue or photographs are recommended for tracking these down. As I only found the brightest one or two members of each of these compact groups, I'm curious if anyone else has looked at them closely with a larger scope?

Steve Gottlieb
Webb Society galaxy director
NGC/IC Project

Hickson Group Observations
Name RA Dec Description
Hickson 35a = M+08-16-028
Hickson 35b 08 45 21.3
08 45 20.6 +44 31 14
+44 30 32 At first appearance using 220x, a single faint, round glow of ~20" diameter was noticed. With concentration two close galaxies were resolved oriented N-S [separation 42" between centers]. The southern galaxy (Hickson 35b) was the object picked up initially and is just S of a line connecting a mag 9.5 star 3.5' SW and a mag 10.5 star 5.5' NE. The fainter member (Hickson 35a) is very small, round and required averted vision. On Digitized Sky Survey, this galaxy is a thin edge-on oriented NNW-SSE, so only the core was viewed. It was difficult to hold both galaxies simultaneously.
Hickson 36a = IC 528 = UGC 4811 09 09 22.6 +15 47 46 The only member of Hickson 36a viewed appeared faint, moderately large, elongated ~3:1 NNW-SSE, 1.4'x0.4'. Contains a brighter core with faint tapering extensions. View hampered by a mag 9 star (SAO 98393) just 1.8' NE.
Hickson 41a = UGC 5345
Hickson 41b = UGC 5346 09 57 35.6
09 57 40.8 +45 13 48
+45 15 32 Hickson 41a appeared as a faint, fairly small edge-on, extended 5:1 SW-NE, ~1.2'x0.25', containing a well-defined brighter core. With concentration Hickson 41b = U05346 located just 2.0' NE was first glimpsed with averted vision and then with concentration could hold both edge-on galaxies. The fainter member appeared extremely faint, edge-on, elongated 4:1 SW-NE, 0.8'x0.2'. This galaxy has a low surface brightness and I could just hold it steadily with averted vision.
Hickson 45a = UGC 5564 10 19 13.8 +59 07 51 The brightest member of the distant group Hickson 45 was not seen with any certainty at 220x. At 280x with concentration, the galaxy pops into view momentarily 15-20% of the time just W of a line connecting two nearby mag 13 stars [48" N and 55" SE]. Appears barely nonstellar which implies only the core of this edge-on was glimpsed.

Name	RA	Dec	Description
Hickson 35a = M+08-16-028 Hickson 35b	08 45 21.3 08 45 20.6	+44 31 14 +44 30 32	At first appearance using 220x, a single faint, round glow of ~20" diameter was noticed. With concentration two close galaxies were resolved oriented N-S [separation 42" between centers]. The southern galaxy (Hickson 35b) was the object picked up initially and is just S of a line connecting a mag 9.5 star 3.5' SW and a mag 10.5 star 5.5' NE. The fainter member (Hickson 35a) is very small, round and required averted vision. On Digitized Sky Survey, this galaxy is a thin edge-on oriented NNW-SSE, so only the core was viewed. It was difficult to hold both galaxies simultaneously.
Hickson 36a = IC 528 = UGC 4811	09 09 22.6	+15 47 46	The only member of Hickson 36a viewed appeared faint, moderately large, elongated ~3:1 NNW-SSE, 1.4'x0.4'. Contains a brighter core with faint tapering extensions. View hampered by a mag 9 star (SAO 98393) just 1.8' NE.
Hickson 41a = UGC 5345 Hickson 41b = UGC 5346	09 57 35.6 09 57 40.8	+45 13 48 +45 15 32	Hickson 41a appeared as a faint, fairly small edge-on, extended 5:1 SW-NE, ~1.2'x0.25', containing a well-defined brighter core. With concentration Hickson 41b = U05346 located just 2.0' NE was first glimpsed with averted vision and then with concentration could hold both edge-on galaxies. The fainter member appeared extremely faint, edge-on, elongated 4:1 SW-NE, 0.8'x0.2'. This galaxy has a low surface brightness and I could just hold it steadily with averted vision.
Hickson 45a = UGC 5564	10 19 13.8	+59 07 51	The brightest member of the distant group Hickson 45 was not seen with any certainty at 220x. At 280x with concentration, the galaxy pops into view momentarily 15-20% of the time just W of a line connecting two nearby mag 13 stars [48" N and 55" SE]. Appears barely nonstellar which implies only the core of this edge-on was glimpsed.