Hickson 54 (Gary Imm)

Celestial hemisphere: Northern · Constellation: Leo (Leo) · Contains: IC 700 · PGC 1631466 · PGC 1632103 · PGC 1632187 · PGC 35380 · PGC 35384 · PGC 35385

Hickson 54

This galaxy group, called Hickson 54, is located 70 million light years away in the constellation of Leo at a declination of +21 degrees. This is the smallest object in the Hickson catalogue, with a span of less than 1 arc-minute.

Of all of the 100 objects in the Hickson compact galaxy group collection, this is the most questionable inclusion in the 1982 catalogue. It becomes apparent immediately that there is an issue here when this entire object is blue and that it spans a distance of only 25,000 light years.

Sure enough, a subsequent paper in 2002 identified this as single object - a merger remnant – and not 4 separate galaxies.

The object itself is interesting, with 4 main pieces and extended star streams to the left and right, given us a small indication of the disturbance involved in the merger.

Many times, what we think we see in these objects is not what is really there. That happens not only to astrophotographers like ourselves but also occasionally to astronomy’s leading experts such as Dr. Arp and Dr. Hickson. I think it makes this hobby more fun and exciting, challenging us to think for ourselves and to question what we see.

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The “AstroBin Image of the Day and Top Picks”, or IOTD/TP, is a long-running system to promote beautiful, interesting, peculiar, or otherwise amazing astrophotographs, with a focus on technical excellence. Learn more.

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	7565040
PixInsight job	RSWYQIYAQ1DSUJ6TJNZQPHS29HMJWV9Y
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	TASK_LOG

RA (center)	11h29m15s.193
RA (top/left)	11h29m30s.410
RA (top/right)	11h28m37s.256
RA (bottom/right)	11h28m59s.999
RA (bottom/left)	11h29m53s.101

Dec (center)	+20°35′01″.65
Dec (top/left)	+20°43′13″.10
Dec (top/right)	+20°35′59″.99
Dec (bottom/right)	+20°26′50″.58
Dec (bottom/left)	+20°34′03″.56

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