NGC 6027 Kitt Peak Trip

Latest Imagesfrom Kitt Peak Advanced Observers program 04/16/02

Adam Block- Advanced Observing Administrator
Tom Teters- Project Proposer
James Teters-Observer

NGC 6027a                                           NGC 6027b

NGC 6027 combined  w/RegiStax2

       This is a group of six interacting galaxies on the Serpens Caput-Hercules border, taken with a 16" Meade
SCT.  Five of the galaxies exhibit an expected ~4400 mi/s recessional speed for objects at ~235 million light
years. While one galaxy, the Seyfert spiral ('e') has an aberrant red-shift of 19,993 mi/s. It appears to be in
physical contact with the group. There are unknown objects between it and the 'b' component.  My thinking is
that these could be dynamically stripped globular clusters from the two galaxies. I have not been able to get
images with enough resolution to distinguish characteristics.  Also the 'd' & 'd1' component have no apparent
spirality and and a disruption in one end.  Dust lane or passage evidence?

    Adam wrote:  "So, these images are at f/10 no focal reducer, no filters.  If these images do not provide
enough... or at least new data...  Next spring will most likely be the next opportunity. We have started the
public programs- so the early evening times are taken.     Ok, here is what I got- Apparently at f/10 I can
not T&A (track & accumulate)  for more than 5 minutes- compared to 15 with the focal reducer in. I took two
images- and then combined those. (TT: Aug 28, 2003, I used RegiStax 2 to clean up the 3rd image)  So
attached here are 3 images.  I will continue to bug Meade...
   After working out a few bugs, it's now possible to take a guided exposure (yes, with the autoguider) for up
to 15 minute integration times! This work is still being done with the f/6.3 focal reducer..."

   Adam is on the verge of being able to get the data I was originally looking for. Adam said, "As you know,
your object is unfortunately not well placed in the sky.  Spring is still looking like the first opportunity."  So I
am awaiting with anticipation the spring months when Hercules/Serpans-Caput is high in the sky around 10 pm
or so.

Sommer-Bausch Images 1995 (CU campus)
Dennis Ward- Senior operator
Tom Teters-Primary Proposer
Brad Jarvis- Secondary Proposer
Tom Peck- Optician & Observer
  This image, is from a set of 5 plus a dark frame and a bias frame, were taken in the middle of the city of
Boulder, CO on the Colorado University campus. Granted the light pollution was bad from this sight, but the
viewing that day and night was excellent.  I was land surveying that day and watched the sky the whole day.
I've rarely seen the atmosphere that transparent and steady.  I could see radio towers on the Front Range
Foothills, 8 miles away, as clear as a bell through the 30 power survey theodolite.
  Anyway there seems to be a problem with the shape of these galaxies, not at all the characteristic shape
of spiral and the two stars at '8 o'clock are not round.  There were some grad students using this scope in
a different configuration, previous to us . There may have been some problem in converting to a prime focus
setup for us. Perhaps some flaw in tracking.              Any thoughts on the problem?
Hubble Space Telescope Pre-Co-Star Images

   The image shows the Seyfert,  the bright spots in the spiral component 'e' on the left, are most
probably Seyfert regions.  The other component 'b' on the left, in the area I'm interested in studying.
These images are from Sulentic and Keel of U. of Alabama-Tuscaloosa.  I hope this group will be re-imaged
by the HST, with Co-Star optics.
Images to be included:  Image from Palomar 200"  SkyView images RoSat X-ray image  any others I can
'dig' up, but they are RARE!   In using the FitsView software I was able to detect the dark dust band in 'b'.
Shown here.                                                                          ________             December 18, 2006    Tom Teters   Think Cosmic!