Date:  September 15, 2012
Location:  Shot Rock at 7600 feet
NELM: 7.0 to 7.2
Transparency:  3/5 to 4/5, worst at the SE horizon area.
Seeing: Average at 3/5

Telescope: 22” f/4.0 reflector on a Blandin equatorial platform
Eyepieces:   24mm Panoptic (finder eyepiece), 10 and 6mm ZAO-II’s, 10 and 6mm Delos and TMB 1.8ED Barlow

Quick note about the KTG Catalogue.  It is Part I of isolated triplets of galaxies researched by a group of Russian astronomers in a paper published in Astrofizicheskie Issledovaniia, vol. 11 in 1979. This list contains 84 isolated triples of northern-hemisphere galaxies with apparent magnitudes of the components m < 15.7 mag.  There is a similar list for the southern hemisphere, KTS

Abstract of the original paper

A list of 84 northern isolated galaxy triplets with component apparent magnitudes no fainter than 15.7 is compiled on the basis of a complete examination of Palomar Sky Survey prints. Equatorial coordinates, photographic apparent magnitudes, angular diameters, angular separations, morphological types, radial velocities, and other characteristics of the triplet members are provided, along with finding charts. Three main types of triplet configuration are distinguished: double, line, and triangle. It is shown that triple systems constitute 0.8% of northern galaxies brighter than 15.7 mag, that 64% of the triplets are 'completely isolated', and that 24% of the triplet members are elliptical and lenticular galaxies, while 76% are spirals and irregulars.

All object parameters are listed in RA, Dec, size and listed magnitude without commas.

Images are from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (color) or the Digital Sky Survey (black and white)

NGC 6484 trio   KTG 67

22” (230 and 383x) – This trio contains on bright barred spiral on the west end with two very faint elongated galaxies close together on the east end.

NGC 6484   17 51 46.9   +24 29 04   1.9x1.6’   13.1p – Considerably bright 2:1 elongated glow with defined edges with a much brighter center.  With averted vision, an extremely faint halo doubles in size.  The bright part is just the center part and the halo is roughly round.  PA of the core is 60 degrees and 0.7’ long.  The halo extends 1.2’ across.

MCG+4-42-10   17 52 10.3   +24 31 25   0.7x0.2’   14.7 – Very faint 3:1 elongated glow with diffuse edges.  Even surface brightness.  PA = 150 and 0.3’ long.

MCG+4-42-11   17 52 11.4   +24 31 01   0.6x0.2’   15.2 – Very faint 2:1 elongated glow with diffuse edges.  Even surface brightness.  PA = 75 and 0.2’ long.  A mag 10.8 star lies 1’ ESE.

CGCG 254-13 trio  

22” (230 and 383x) – Very compact trio of faint galaxies arranged in a narrow isosceles triangle of about .6’ long. Lies in a star rich field.

CGCG 254-13   18 04 48.3   +47 45 25   0.5x0.5’   15.6 – Considerably faint round diffuse glow.  Even surface brightess.  0.2’ across.

Uncharted A   18 04 47.2   +47 45 33   -Very faint small round glow.  Even surface brightness.  0.1’ across.  Lies 0.2’ NW from CGCG 254-13

Uncharted B   18 04 49.2   +47 45 51   - Extremely faint very small round glow.  0.1’ across.  0.4’ NNE from CGCG 254-13

Two nearby galaxies:

MAC 1805+4743   18 05 09.4   +47 43 31   0.4x0.2’   16.0 – Faint 5:2 elongated glow with defined edges.  Even surface brightness  0.3’ long and PA = 0 degrees.  Lies 4.1’ ESE of trio

MAC 1805-4740   18 05 06.8   +47 40 58   0.4x0.3’   16.0 – Very faint round even surface brightness glow.  A mag 14.3 star is just off the SW tip

CGCG 337-33 trio   KTG 59

22” (230 and 383x) – This is a really nice trio that is arranged like a box with a 9.2 mag star.  The sides range from 2.3’ to 3.0’.

CGCG 337-33   15 15 36.0   +69 18 56   1.1x1.1’   15.0 – Considerably bright round glow with a much brighter center.  Defined edges.  0.2’ across.

CGCG 337-34   15 15 50.5   +69 16 25   0.3x0.2’   15.2 – Considerably faint round glow with a stellar core.  Defined edges.  0.2’ across

CGCG 401-1   15 16 02.5   +69 20 10   0.3x0.2’   15.7 – Faint round glow with diffuse edges.  Even surface brightness 0.1’ across.

UGC 11368 trio   KTG 68

22” (230 and 383x) – A trio of elongated galaxies in a very rich star field. 

UGC 11368   18 51 29.9   +26 29 01   1.3x0.4’   14.3p – Considerably bright 2:1 elongated glow with a much brighter slightly elongated nucleus.  0.5x0.3’ and PA = 135 degrees.  A pair of 13 and 14^th magnitude stars lies just off the NE edge and a 16^th mag star lies just off the SW edge.  I didn’t look for the nearby galaxy, MAC 1851+2629.

UGC 11370   18 51 43.6   +26 33 19   1.2x0.4’   14.6p – Extremely faint, 2:1 elongated glow with diffuse edges.  Very low and even surface brightness.  0.3’ long. And PA = 45 degrees.  Lies 5.3 NE from UGC 11368.  A mag 11.6 star lies 1.9’ NW.

UGC 11371   18 51 56.0   +26 29 14   1.6x0.5’   14.3p – Very faint 3:1 elongated even surface brightness glow with diffuse edges.  PA = 45 degrees and 0.5x0.2’  A mag 12.2 star lies just off the SE edge in the center.

NGC 6841 trio

22” (230 and 383x) – Trio of galaxies in Sagittarius, surprisingly in a not so rich star field.  Arranged in a loose 45 degree right triangle.

NGC 6841   19 57 49.0   -31 48 37   1.3x1.3’   13.8b – Considerably bright round glow with a brighter center.  Diffuse edges.  0.6’ across.

MCG-5-47-15   19 58 07.0   -31 52 16   1.1x0.3’   15.1p – Faint 3:1 elongated even surface brightness glow.  0.6x0’2  and PA = 30 degrees.  Lies 5.3’ SE of NGC 6841

MCG-5-47-16   19 58 16.9   -31 46 18   1.4x0.9’   14.5p – Faint 3:2 elongated even surface brightness glow with diffuse edges.  PA = 30 and 0.6x0.3’.  Located 6.5’ ENE of NGC 6841.

UGC 11607 trio   KTG 70

22” (230 and 383x) – A 45-degree right triangle of elongated galaxies flanked by two bright mag 7.7 and 9.5 stars on each side.  It lies in a fairly rich star field.

UGC 11607   20 39 44.7   +02 01 51   0.8x0.2’   14.9p – Considerably faint 3:1 elongated glow with a stellar core in the center.  Even surface brightness.  Edges are pretty well defined.  PA = 30 degrees and the size is 0.6x0.3’.  A mag 9.5 star lies 3.5’ SSE.

MCG+0-52-43   20 39 26.4   +02 01 07   0.8x0.3’   15.2 – Considerably bright 2:1 elongated even surface brightness glow with a slightly brighter center.  Defined edges.  0.5x0.3’ and PA = 30 degrees.  4.6’ WSW from UGC 11607.

CGCG 373-45   20 39 22.1   +02 05 09   0.5x0.1’   15.2 – Faint 3:1 elongated glow with diffuse edges.  0.3x0.15’ and PA = 15 degrees.  A mag 7.7 star lies 3.6’ NNW.

UGC 12525 trio

22” (230, 383 and 690x) – Very challenging compact trio of galaxies that occupies a space of less than 40” in diameter.  The uncharted member was not detected. 

UGC 12525   23 20 26.8   +01 33 37   0.7x0.5’   15.1 – Considerably faint 3:2 elongated glow with a slightly brighter center.  0.2’ long and PA = 30 degrees

MAC 2320+0134   23 20 27.0   +01 34 04   0.4x0.1’   16.0 – Faint round even surface brightness glow.  0.1’ across.   0.5’ due north of UGC 12525

Uncharted   23 20 25.5   +01 33 51  0.1’  mag = ?  - not detected.

Little Blue Fox   20 29 07.5   +23 11 12

22”  (93, 230 and 383x) – The extended nebulosity is detected with a NPB, Ultrablock or O-III filter.  Not immediately noticed as I initially used a low power, but bumping it to 230x, it was obvious, even without a filter.  At 383x the slightly elongated glow was noticed and the central star is slightly off-centered to the west.  PA = 80 degrees and 0.3’ across.

CGCG 407-46 trio

22” (230, 383 and 690x) – Very compact 30-60-right triangle with the long side of just 40” long.

CGCG 407-46   23 43 17.0   +04 33 04   0.5x0.4’   15.4 – Very faint small round glow.  0.3’ across.  Diffuse edges.

MAC 2343+0433   23 43 17.7   +04 33 21   0.3x0.2’   16.0 – Very faint small round glow.  0.1’ across.  0.3’ NNE of CGCG 407-46

Uncharted   23 43 19.3   +04 33 03  0.2x0.2’  NED mag = 16.5 – Extremely faint very small round glow that is best at 690x.  Popped in and out 25% of the time.  0.1’ across.  38” due east of CGCG 407-46.

CGCG 382-27 trio

22” (230, 383 and 690x) – Another compact 30-60-right triangle occupying a space of less than 40” circle.  All three galaxies are about equal brightness and best seen at 690x.

CGCG 382-27   00 06 57.0   +03 06 47   0.3x0.2’   15.5 – Very faint small round glow.  0.1’ across. 

MAC 0006+0306A   00 06 56.2   +03 06 37  0.3x0.2’   16.0 – Very faint small round glow.  0.1’ across.  Very slightly fainter than CGCG 382-27, which is 18” NE.

MAC 0006+0306B   00 06 57.3   +03 06 10  0.4x0.2’   16.0 – Very faint small round glow.  0.1’ across.  Slightly fainter than MAC 006+0306A, which is 35” NNW.

NGC 467 trio  KTG 05

22” (230x) – Three bright galaxies in a fairly loose arrangement with a bright mag 7.1 star in the field.

NGC 467   01 19 10.1   +03 18 02   1.6x1.5’   12.9b – Bright round glow with a brighter round center.  Diffuse edges.  0.8’ across.  A mag 14.1 star lies just off the NNW edge.

NGC 470   01 19 44.8   +03 24 36   2.8x1.7’   12.5b – Bright mottle glow with a much brighter small center.  1.7x1.0’ across and PA = 150 degrees.

NGC 474   01 20 06.8   +03 25 00   7.0x6.2’   12.4b – Bright glow with a much brighter center.  Very diffuse edges.  1.4’ across and the nucleus is 0.3’ across.

CGCG 459-66 trio

22” (230, 383 and 690x) – Very compact of faint galaxies occupying a space of about 0.5’ across.

CGCG 459-66   01 30 16.3   +20 35 59   0.4x0.2’   14.9 (NED mag = 14.10) – Considerably faint round glow with diffuse edges.  0.1’ across.

MAC 0130+2035   01 30 15.4   +20 35 46   0.3x0.2’   16.5 (NED mag = 16.02) – Very faint round glow with diffuse edges.  0.1’ across.

Uncharted   01 30 16.9   +20 35 43   0.3x0.2’  NED mag 16.64 – Very faint round glow with diffuse edges.  0.1’ across.