Autumn Deep-sky Tour

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Structure is what deep-sky observing is all about. Hunting faint little galaxies all night is a challenge and can be rewarding. But there is nothing quite like an observing session with a galaxy that looks like a galaxy. Seeing spiral arms, a dark lane through the disk, and HII regions of new star formation transform an object from a misty glow into a stellar metropolis: a galaxy. NGC 7479 looks like a galaxy. You'll find it 3 degrees due south of 2.5 magnitude Markab, the star at the southeast corner of the Great Square of Pegasus. An alternate route would be to start at 4.2 magnitude Xi (46) Pegasi and slew 4.5 degrees due east. Either way, you will run right into NGC 7479

Autumn Sky Tour: NGC 7479 (Pegasus) RA: 23h 05.0m / DEC: +12° 19'.3

NGC 7479 is a galaxy which reveals detailed spiral structure when moderate aperture is applied. You'll find it by slewing about 3 degrees due south from 2.5 magnitude Markab, the star marking the southeast corner of the Great Square of Pegasus. My sketch is based on a 190X view in the 10-inch, f/4.5 Starfinder. 10.8 magnitude NGC 7479 appears 4'x3' in size. The central bar is visible as a bright feature running roughly north-south through a stellar nucleus. After several minutes observing, the graceful form of a spiral arm emerges from the southern tip of the disk. This arm loops back to the north, passing just west of a 13th magnitude GSC star. A second arm is glimpsed at the oppositen end of the galaxy. This arm curves east and south, barely avoiding a 12th magnitude GSC star. The brightest star in the field is 10.3 magnitude PPM 142157, stationed 10' to the southwest at the edge of the field. Another ten stars dot the field around NGC 7479, a gorgeous example of a barred spiral galaxy.


NGC 7331 and Stephan's Quintet Autumn Tour

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Revised: October 18, 2003 [WDF]