Arp Irregular Galaxy 337
Exposure: L = 180 min 1x1, RGB 2x2 70 min each
Date: Feb 28, Mar 4, 9, 2011.
Comments: The red ejection filaments are hydrogen plasma. They have been measured as being some 10,000 light years in length. They emit "sychrotron" radiation and the light from the galaxy itself is strongly polarized. This indicates the presence of strong electromagnetic fields. The galaxy itself is not a spiral, and its outer parts are bluer than the central amorphous region.There are many other faint galaxies scattered throughout the field of view. For example, very near the right edge of the image, about half-way up, is a small, magnitude 15.9 galaxy (PGC 3086325). The brightest star in the field, to the upper right, is SAO 6988 (mag. 7.92) which is too dim to be seen by the naked eye from most locations. It has several close companion stars.
© Don Scott
The Holin A. Grotch Observatory
