Galactic Smirk

NGC 5529
Sketch and Details by Bill Ferris

NGC 5529: Edge-on Galaxy (Bootes) RA: 14h 15.6m / DEC: +36º 13′.6
Instrument: 18-inch Obsession

Here’s an interesting edge-on galaxy. NGC 5529 resides in west-central Boötes about 4 degrees southwest of 3rd magnitude Gamma (27) Bootis. My sketch presents a 199X view in the 18-inch Obsession. NGC 5529 is the thin sliver of light at the center. This 11.9 magnitude spiral covers a 6′ by 0′.7 patch of sky with that part west of the core appearing brighter than its counterpart to the east. The core region is slightly irregular in shape, looking like two small humps on either side of the core. An interesting three-star asterism stands a few arcminutes to the east. A faint 14th magnitude sparkler simmers close by, just off the galaxy’s eastern tip. And 1′.7 south of this star is where PGC 50952 emerges from the night. This 15.3 magnitude spiral presents as a 30″ diameter glow. It’s very subtle and best seen with averted vision. Even more challenging, is the delicate smudge some 5′ to the northwest. That tiny patch of fog is MCG +06-31-85a, a 16th magnitude galaxy with just the brighter 0′.3 diameter core being visible in the 18-inch. This galaxy is seen intermittently with averted vision, but always in the same location. This view is framed by twenty-five stars scattered throughout the field in my sketch.