by Steve Gottlieb
While surveying the NGC, I previously had run across NGC 5919 and 5920 which are outlying members of the rich cluster, Abell 2063. Within the main portion of the cluster, the new version of the Uranometria simply plots one galaxy, MCG +02-39-020. Although this Serpens galaxy cluster was slipping into the western sky when I started observing, I was pretty amazed to identify 21 new galaxies in the cluster -- mostly in the same high power field!! These galaxies are generally in the mag 15.5-15.7 (B) range and sometimes required 300x to distinguish from faint stars. As you might guess, there wasn't much detail in these 10"-15" blobs -- just logging and identifying them was an accomplishment.
| N5919 = MCG +01-39-020 = CGCG 049-142/144 = NPM1G +07.0380 | 15 21 36.9 +07 43 10 | Size 0.3x0.3 |
|---|---|---|
17.5" (7/9/94): extremely faint, small, round, 0.3' diameter, very low even surface brightness. Requires averted vision to glimpse although appears to "grow" in size close to 1.0' diameter. On continued observation, the galaxy resolved into a second and possibly a third member very close which popped into view momentarily although it was very difficult to view these simultaneously. One of these might be CGCG 049-144 which is 1' ENE of N5919. Forms a group with brighter N5920 4' ESE. The POSS reveals six faint galaxies within 2' of this galaxy! Member of Abell 2063. | ||
| UGC 09821 = MCG +02-39-016 = CGCG 077-084 | 15 21 40.3 +08 24 56 | V = 13.3; Size 1.5x1.4; SB = 13.9 |
18" (7/28/03): extremely faint, small, round, 15" (probably viewed core only). Located 2.2' SSE of mag 8.7 SAO 120958 and 1' NW of a mag 11.7 star. This galaxy was surprisingly difficult and appears to have a very low surface brightness although the cluster (Abell 2063) was slipping lower in the western sky. Forms a pair with much brighter IC 1116 3.7' E and these galaxies are 20' SW of the core of the cluster. | ||
| IC 1116 = MCG +02-39-017 = CGCG 077-085 | 15 21 55.4 +08 25 25 | V = 12.8; Size 1.6x1.6; SB = 13.7 |
18" (7/28/03): fairly faint, moderately large, slightly elongated N-S, 1.0'x0.8'. Contains a very small brighter core. Located 4.5' ESE of mag 8.7 SAO 120958 and ~15' SW of the rich core of Abell 2063. This galaxy is the brightest member of Abell 2063 although it is southwest of the main clump of galaxies. UGC 09821 lies 3' W. | ||
| N5920 = U09822 = CGCG 049-145 | 15 21 51.8 +07 42 32 | V = 13.6; Size 1.1x0.9; SB = 13.4 |
17.5" (7/9/94): very faint, fairly small, round, 0.8' diameter, very low surface brightness with a very slight concentration. Located between a mag 14 star off NW edge 1.1' from center and a mag 15 star just off the SE edge. Two mag 10/11 stars lie 4.5' SSW and 3.3' SSW, respectively. This galaxy is one of the brightest in cluster Abell 2063 with N5919 system 3' W. | ||
| CGCG 077-089 | 15 22 18.0 +08 34 47 | |
18" (7/28/03): at 300x this member of Abell 2063 appeared extremely faint, very small, round, 15" diameter. Located 4.4' WSW of a mag 11 star and 12' WSW of MCG +02-39-020. | ||
| CGCG 077-090 | 15 22 22.3 +08 38 30 | |
18" (7/28/03): at 300x, this member of Abell 2063 appeared extremely faint and small, round, ~12" diameter. This triple system was a marginal sighting and required averted to gllimpse for moments. Located 11' W of MCG +02-39-020. CGCG 77-89 lies 4' SSW. | ||
| CGCG 077-092 = NPM1G +08.0400 | 15 22 47.8 +08 43 07 | Size 0.9x0.6 |
18" (7/28/03): at 300x, very faint, small, 25"x18" extended NW-SE. Located 8' NW of MCG +02-39-020 in the rich central core of Abell 2063 and first in string of six galaxies extending to the east. The nearest of these are CGCG 77-93 and 77-98 2.0' NNE and 3.7' NE, respectively. | ||
| CGCG 077-093 | 15 22 52.8 +08 44 42 | Size 0.6x0.3 |
18" (7/28/03): extremely faint, very small, 15"x10". Located 9' NNW of MCG +02-39-020 in the core of Abell 2063 in a tight grouping just 1.8' WSW of CGCG 77-98 with CGCG 77-92 2.0' SW. A mag 13.5 star lies 1.6' NNE and a 14th mag star follows by 1'. | ||
| CGCG 077-098 | 15 22 59.9 +08 45 19 | Size 0.7x0.6 |
18" (7/28/03): at 300x, appeared very faint, very small, round, 15" diameter. Forms the south vertex of an isosceles triangle with two mag 13/13.5 stars 1.5' NE and 1.4' NW. CGCG 77-092 lies 1.8' WSW. Located 9' N of MCG +02-39-020 in the rich core of Abell 2063. | ||
| CGCG 077-096 | 15 23 02.6 +08 36 11 | Size 0.2 |
18" (7/28/03): this galaxy is a very faint, western component of a double system with MCG +02-39-20, the brightest galaxy in the core of Abell 2063. With careful viewing both components were just resolved with CGCG 77-096 nearly attached on the west side of MCG +02-39-020 just 45" between centers. CGCG 077-096 appeared very faint, very small, round, ~15" diameter. | ||
| MCG +02-39-020 = CGCG 077-097 | 15 23 05.4 +08 36 32 | V = 13.6; Size 0.9x0.9; SB = 13.1 |
18" (7/28/03): fairly faint, fairly small, ~0.8' diameter. At first glance I assumed this galaxy was roughly circular with a small brighter core but on close examination it resolved into a very close pair of galaxies - M+02-39-020 on the east side seems slightly elongated N-S, ~0.8'x0.7' and just off its west edge is a very small, knot (CGCG 077-096). There may be a third galaxy in this clump at the NE edge. This galaxy is the brightest in the core of Abell 2063 (excluding IC 1116) and 21 galaxies in the vicinity were tracked down from the Sierra Buttes including 16 which were within 15' of MCG +02-39-020! | ||
| MCG +02-39-021 = CGCG 077-100 | 15 23 07.5 +08 31 41 | Size 0.5 |
18" (7/28/03): extremely faint, very small, elongated 3:2, 20"x12". Located 5' S of MCG +02-39-020 in the core of Abell 2063 and first in a 7' string of 4 galaxies to the NE with CGCG 77-102 closest at 1.7' NE. | ||
| LEDA 84606 | 15 23 04.8 +08 36 46 | |
18" (7/28/03): suspected as a extremely faint knot at the NW edge of M+02-39-020, barely nonstellar in the core of Abell 2063. A brighter component, CGCG 077-096 is just off the SW edge of M+02-39-020. | ||
| CGCG 077-102 | 15 23 12.0 +08 33 04 | Size 0.4x0.2 |
18" (7/28/03): extremely faint, very small, ~20"x12", elongated NW-SE. Located in the dense swarm of galaxies surrrounding MCG +02-39-020 in the core of Abell 2063 and sandwiched between MCG +02-39-022 1.6' NE and MCG +02-39-021 1.7' SW. The three galaxies are collinear with CGCG 077-102 at the midpoint. A mag 14 star lies 1.5' S. | ||
| MCG +02-39-024 = CGCG 077-105 | 15 23 14.0 +08 38 42 | Size 0.2x0.2 |
18" (7/28/03): extremely faint and small, round. Appears as a 10" knot ~40" SE of a mag 14 star in the core of Abell 2063 and 3.1' NE of MCG +02-39-020. Also very close is MCG +02-39-023 1' SW (on line with MCG +02-39-020) and MCG +02-39-025 3' SE. | ||
| MCG +02-39-023 = CGCG 077-104 | 15 23 10.9 +08 38 02 | Size 0.2x0.2 |
18" (7/28/03): very faint, extremely small, round, 15" diameter. Squeezed between the dominant cluster member MCG +02-39-020 2.0' SW and -024 1' NE in the dense core of Abell 2063. | ||
| MCG +02-39-022 = CGCG 077-103 | 15 23 15.1 +08 34 24 | Size 0.4x0.3 |
18" (7/28/03): very faint, very small, round, 15" diameter. This is one of a slew of similar galaxies surrounding (3.2' SE of) MCG +02-39-020 in the core of Abell 2063 and is collinear with MCG +02-39-025 to the NNE and CGCG +77-102 1.6' SW along with MCG +02-39-021 3.3' SW! | ||
| MCG +02-39-025 = CGCG 077-107 | 15 23 20.1 +08 37 05 | Size 0.4x0.2 |
18" (7/28/03): very faint, very small, round, 20" diameter. Situated in the dense core of Abell 2063 on a line with two mag 11/12 stars to the SE by 2.1' and 4.7'. Located 3.7' following the brightest member, MCG +02-39-020. | ||
| CGCG 077-108 | 15 23 20.5 +08 43 22 | Size 0.3 |
18" (7/28/03): extremely faint, very small, round, 10"-15" diameter. Located 4' WNW of a mag 9.6 star which detracts from viewing. Easier to view at 300x with the star placed outside the edge of the field. This galaxy is located 7.8' NNE of MCG +02-39-020 in the rich core of Abell 2063. | ||
| CGCG 077-106 | 15 23 16.0 +08 44 54 | Size 0.6x0.4 |
18" (7/28/03): at 300x, this member of Abell 2063 appeared extremely faint and small, slightly elongated, ~15"x12". Required averted vision and concentration to glimpse. Located 4.0' E of CGCG 77-98 and several other faint members are in the vicinity including CGCG 77-108 2' SE. | ||
| CGCG 077-112 | 15 23 39.2 +08 45 32 | Size 0.9x0.8 |
18" (7/28/03): at 300x appears very faint, very small, round, 12" diameter. This galaxy is located on the NE side of Abell 2063, 12' NE of MCG +02-39-020. | ||
| CGCG 077-117 = NPM1G +08.0402 | 15 24 12.6 +08 32 41 | Size 0.7x0.4 |
18" (7/28/03): very faint, very small, round, ~15" diameter. Located 4.2' NNW of mag 7.1 SAO 120983 which detracts from viewing. Better viewed at 300x and placing the star just outside the field. Situated ~15' E of the core of Abell 2063. | ||
| CGCG 077-119 | 15 24 29.5 +08 22 24 | Size 0.4x0.4 |
18" (7/28/03): faint, very small, round, 20" diameter, weak concentration with a very small slightly brighter core. Situated nearly between two mag 11 stars 1.6' N and 2' SSW. Located at the SE edge of Abell 2063, 7' SSE of mag 7.1 SAO 120983. | ||