H-NGC1023
Galaxy in Perseus
About
In Perseus, NGC 1023 is a lenticular galaxy with a bar, roughly 30 to 36 million light-years distant. It is on the Herschel 400 list. Its smaller satellite NGC 1023A sits just east of it, linked by a bridge of hydrogen gas. A black hole of about 44 million solar masses sits at its core.
Imaging tips
- At 9×4′ it spans a third to half of an APS-C frame at 2690–4490 mm, so a long focal length suits it.
- IC 239, a faint face-on spiral about 50′ west, lies in a wider field. One imager joined two 1600 mm panels to take in both.
- Surface brightness is 21.8 mag/arcsec². One imager logged 2 h 25 min of LRGB, 85 min of it luminance.
- NGC 1023A, the satellite, sits just east of the main galaxy.
- Best in October and November; it passes close to overhead, peaking near 79° altitude from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 9′ × 4′
- Magnitude
- 9.3
- Coordinates
- RA 2h 40.3m, Dec +39° 4′
- Framing, APS-C
- 2690–4490 mm
- Framing, full frame
- longer than 4000 mm
- Best months
- Oct, Nov
- Peak altitude
- 79° from 50°N, 86° from 35°N