Pair of Galaxies NGC 7253A/B (Arp 278)
History
The galaxy NGC 7253 was visually discovered on 9 September 1863 by the German astronomer Albert Marth with a 48 inch reflecting telescope. [277] According to the description «very faint, rather elongated» in John LE Dreyer's «New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars» [313] he did not seem to have recognized both galaxies at that time, especially since the extragalactic nature of these nebulae was still completely unknown at that time.
Halton Arp divided his «Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies», published in 1966, into groups based on purely morphological criteria. The pair of galaxies here received the designation Arp 278 (APG 278) as a pair of interacting galaxies. [199]
Physical Properties
| Name | RA | Dec | Type | bMag | vMag | B-V | SB | Dim | PA | z | D(z) | MD | Dreyer Description | Identification, Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NGC 7253 A | 22 19 27.3 | +29 23 49 | Gx (SBc) | 13.9 | 13.2 | 0.7 | 13.4 | 1.7 × 0.8 | 116 | 0.015241 | 64.38 | 65.750 | vF, pE | GC 6037; UGC 11984; MCG 5-52-10; VV 242; Arp 278; KCPG 566A; CGCG 494-14 |
| NGC 7253 B | 22 19 30.0 | +29 23 16 | Gx (Sc) | 15.0 | 14.3 | 0.7 | 13.9 | 1.6 × 0.5 | 71 | 0.014987 | 63.30 | 43.280 | vF, pE | GC 6037; UGC 11985; MCG 5-52-11; VV 242; Arp 278; KCPG 566B; CGCG 494-14 |
Finder Chart
The galaxy pair NGC 7253A/B is located in the constellation Pegasus. On 25 August it is in opposition to the Sun and crosses the meridian at local midnight. The best observation time is June to December, when it is highest at night.
