Telescopes are in some ways like time machines. They reveal galaxies so far away that their light has taken billions of years to reach us. We in astronomy have an advantage in studying the universe, in that we can actually see the past.
/ Sir Martin Rees /



In memoriam Halton C. Arp (1927-2013).


My astronomy sketches. Hover mouse over image for the inverted look. For fainter objects, take a look at the black-on-white original, sometimes it reveals more details.


Need advice? Want to discuss an observation? Feel free to contact me at flovro gmail*com.

ÚJ! Amennyiben elérhető, a ikonra kattintva magyarul is olvashatod az észlelést.


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NGC 7640 (Galaxy)
Right ascension: 23h 22m Declination: 40° 54'
Constellation: Andromeda
Date/time: 2008.11.18 19:30 UT
Equipment: 12" f/5 Newtonian
FoV: 23' Magnification and filter(s): 167x
Seeing: 6/10 Transparency: 3/5
Location: Nádasdladány, Hungary
Observer: Ferenc Lovró
Description:

Faint but still very spectacular spiral galaxy with an estimated brightness of about 12.3m. As I almost never read or view pictures of the objects I want to observe (so the photos in my memory will not change the picture I really see with my own eyes), because of its very asymmetrical shape I first thought that it must be an irregular galaxy, similar to the objects in Halton Arp's compilation of peculiar galaxies. Even its core area seemed to almost fall out of the galaxy itself. However, later on by examining astrophotographs it turned out that what I believed to be its core is in fact a bright foreground star and the real galactic core is in fact located in the brighter little densities near this "fake core". At smaller magnification levels (67x) the shape of the galaxy is easier to see, however by increasing the magnification, the sofar homogeneous arms start to show many details, especially with averted vision near the core. I measured its size as 4.5'x1'.


Hi-resolution image: [ reversed sketch | original sketch ]
This sketch was featured on Astronomy Sketch of the Day on Dec 6, 2008.
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All text and images are ©opyright of Ferenc Lovró. All rights reserved worldwide.

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