NGC 973 Galaxy Group

NGC 973: Galaxy in Triangulum; 500 mm Cassegrain f/7.2; SBIG STL11K; 120-30-30-30 min LRGB; Bernese Highlands; © 2011 Radek Chromik

History

The galaxies NGC 969, NGC 974 and NGC 978 were discovered on 22 November 1827 by John Herschel with his 18.3 inch reflecting telescope in Slough, England. On 14 September 1850, the engineer Bindon Stoney set up the 72 inch «Leviathan» reflecting telescope in Birr Castle, Ireland. His employer William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, on this spot and discovered the galaxy NGC 970. NGC 973 was discovered on 30 October 1885 by the American astronomer Lewis Swift with a 16 inch reflecting telescope. IC 1815 was discovered on 20 January 1898 discovered by the French astronomer Stephane Javelle with the 76 cm lens telescope of the Observatoire de Nice.[196, 277]

Physical Properties

The galaxies NGC 969, NGC 973, NGC 974, NGC 978 and IC 1815 show similar redshifts in the range z ≈ 0.015 and belong to the NGC 973 galaxy group, which is located at a distance of about 61 Mpc to 69 Mpc. NGC 973 is a Seyfert 2 galaxy that we are looking directly at the edge. NGC 970 is a redshift of z ≈ 0.033 much further away and does not belong to the group. [145]

Revised+Historic NGC/IC, Version 22/9, © Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
NameRADecTypebMagvMagB-VSBDimPAzD(z)MDDreyer DescriptionIdentification, Remarks
NGC 96902 34 08.0+32 56 47Gx (S0)13.312.31.012.81.7 × 130.01503763.52S, R, psbM, 1st of 5UGC 2039, MCG 5-7-8, CGCG 505-10
NGC 97002 34 11.7+32 58 35Gx (S)15.614.80.812.50.7 × 0.2550.032673138.0vF, vS, R, 2nd of 5MCG 5-7-9, CGCG 505-11
NGC 97302 34 20.1+32 30 20Gx (Sb)13.612.80.813.33.7 × 0.5480.01619568.4162.630eeF, S, mE, pB * nr spUGC 2048, MCG 5-7-13, CGCG 505-14, IRAS 02313+3217, FGC 314, KUG 0231+322
NGC 97402 34 25.7+32 57 18Gx (Sb)13.612.80.813.41.7 × 1.2630.01501063.40vF, R, bM, 4th of 5UGC 2049, MCG 5-7-12, CGCG 505-15, NPM1G +32.0104, IRAS 02314+3243
NGC 97802 34 47.0+32 50 42Gx (E-S0)13.212.21.012.61.3 × 1620.01583166.87pB, R, 5th of 5NGC 978A, UGC 2057, MCG 5-7-16, CGCG 505-18, KCPG 71A
NGC 978 A02 34 47.0+32 50 42dup13.212.21.012.61.3 × 1620.01583166.87pB, R, 5th of 5NGC 978, UGC 2057, MCG 5-7-16, CGCG 505-18, KCPG 71A
NGC 978 B02 34 48.1+32 50 33Gx (S0)15.514.51.011.60.4 × 0.21660.01446261.09pB, R, 5th of 5MCG 5-7-17, KCPG 71B
IC 181502 34 19.9+32 25 48Gx (SB0)14.313.31.013.61.4 × 1.11410.01568466.25F, S, R, gbMNUGC 2047, MCG 5-7-14, CGCG 505-13, NPM1G +32.0103

Finder Chart

The galaxy is located in the constellation Triangulum. The best time to observe is July to February, when it is highest at night.

Chart NGC 973 Galaxy Group
NGC 973 Galaxy Group in constellation Triangulum. Charts created using SkySafari 6 Pro and STScI Digitized Sky Survey. Limiting magnitudes: Constellation chart ≈ 6.5 mag, DSS2 close-ups ≈ 20 mag. [149, 160]

Visual Observation

Description pending ...

More Objects Nearby (±15°)

References