[AZ-Observing] Hicksons and Pals, Part Deux

 
I accidently sent  the earlier email without including my notes and links for 
the following Hickson  compact galaxy clusters:
 
Hickson 70: _http://members.aol.com/billferris/hickson70.html_ 
(http://members.aol.com/billferris/hickson70.html) 
 
 
 
 
Hickson 70 resides in far eastern Canes Venatici. The magnificent  M3 can be 
found just 7 degrees to the southwest. But this cluster presents  more 
challenging fare. My sketch combines 199X and 272X views in the 18-inch  
Obsession. 
Seven member galaxies in this tightly-packed cluster are visible.  Hickson 70A 
is cataloged as UGC 8990 (=MCG +06-31-59, PGC 50139) and is often  
misidentified as IC 4371. The 16.1(B) magnitude galaxy resides at 14 hrs., 04  
min., 10 
sec,; +33 deg., 20.3 minutes and is nearly centered in my sketch. It  features 
a stellar core and covers a 0'.7 by 0'.3 area. Hickson 70D (=IC 4370,  MCG 
+06-31-60) appears as a tiny, 16th magnitude smudge along the northern edge  of 
Hickson 70A. About 2' to the south, Hickson 70B (=IC 4371, MCG +06-31-61, PGC  
50140) displays a stellar core embedded within a 0'.5 by 0'.3 oval glow. 11.0  
magnitude SAO 63918 simmers another 2'.3 to the south. The thin sliver of 
light  2' to the east of Hickson 70B is MCG +06-31-064. This 16.2(B) magnitude 
galaxy  covers a 0'.5 by 0'.2 area and is aligned northeast to southwest. Three 
galaxies  are grouped to the southwest of Hickson 70A. These include 16.2(B) 
magnitude  Hickson 70E (=IC 4369, MCG +06-31-58, PGC 50134), 17.3(B) magnitude 
Hickson 70F  (=MCG +06-31-57, PGC 50133), and 17.4 magnitude 2MASX 
J14040011+3319540.  Hicksons 70E and 70F are very close to each other and just 
1'.3 
southwest of  Hickson 70A. High magnification was needed to consistently 
separate 
the  two.
 
 
Hickson 72: _http://members.aol.com/billferris/hickson72.html_ 
(http://members.aol.com/billferris/hickson72.html) 
 
My observation records four members of this quintet. They form a neat line  
just 1'.6 west of the 13th magnitude GSC star at the center of the field.  
Hickson 72A is northernmost in the string. This 16.1(B) magnitude S0-type 
galaxy  
is also cataloged as MCG +03-38-17 (=PGC 52844). A faint star simmers about an 
 arcminute to the northwest. An equal distance to the southeast, Hickson 72B  
(=MCG +03-38-21) and 72D (=MCG +03-38-20, PGC 52848) are seen. Separating 
them  requires high power (272X) in the 18-inch. 16.1(B) magnitude Hickson 72B 
is 
the  more northern of this pair. Similarly bright Hickson 72D lies 
immediately to the  south. This duo lies 1'.6 due west of the 13th magnitude 
star at the 
center of  my drawing. Finally, 15.8(B) magnitude Hickson 72C (=MCG 
+03-38-22, PGC 52851)  is seen at the southeast end of this string. Tiny, 18th 
magnitude Hickson 72E is  not visible. The four that are appear as tiny 
circular 
stains upon the sky.  Hickson 72 is also cataloged as Arp 328.
 
 
Hickson 80: _http://members.aol.com/billferris/hickson80.html_ 
(http://members.aol.com/billferris/hickson80.html) 
 
The four-pack of faint galaxies in my sketch comprise the compact galaxy  
cluster, Hickson 80. A pair of 14th magnitude stars stand separated by just 30" 
 
near the center of the field. Hickson 80A and 80B, paired to the north, appear 
 to mirror that stellar duo. Hickson 80A is the 15.7(B) magnitude sliver 
covering  a 0'.8 by 0'.2 area and aligned roughly north-south. It is cataloged 
as 
2MASX  J15591912+6513579, according to the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database 
(NED).  Hickson 80B (=PGC 56590) is the tiny, 16.4(B) magnitude smudge just 30" 
to the  south. Hickson 80C lies an arcminute due west of 80A. It is a 16.1(B) 
magnitude  galaxy cataloged as PGC 56572. The most challenging member of the 
quartet is  16.8(B) magnitude Hickson 80D. This faint little stinker resides 
50" southeast  of Hickson 80C and is only visible with averted vision. You'll 
find this  collection banished to the far northern reaches of the heavens, in 
Draco.
 
Regards,
 
Bill in  Flagstaff









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