Harold Corwin

IC 5144 is the southwestern of two nebulae found by Barnard (the second is IC 5145 with which there are no identification problems). Their positions and descriptions were not published before IC2 appeared, but were apparently sent directly to Dreyer. Since the position for IC 5144 falls on a blank area of sky, though near a group of galaxies, it is a very good thing that Barnard gave us a note about the surrounding star field: "F, S, sev F sts close f". This positively identifies IC 5144 as the brightest galaxy in a group of six or seven -- it has a jagged line of four stars just to the southeast. The galaxy itself is peculiar, high surface brightness, compact system with a dust lane crossing its southern half; and with a distorted spiral companion (or peculiar triple system?) just west.

Barnard's relative position between the galaxies is pretty good, too, so knowing the identity of IC 5145, we can be sure of IC 5144 even without his note about the stars.

Unfortunately, the modern catalogues do not all pick up the same objects in the group. CGCG got IC 5144 and another galaxy just east-northeast, while MCG made that second CGCG galaxy IC 5144 (though put a question mark on the number). MCG also picked up a larger spiral to the east-southeast, UGC 11845 (UGC has IC 5144 in the Notes). These are all close enough that both NED and PGC initially got confused over the identities. Chantal Petit sorted out LEDA some time ago, and I've cleaned up NED, so the current (June 2003) versions of the databases are correct.

― IC Notes by Harold Corwin

Drawings, descriptions, and CCD photos are copyright Andrew Cooper unless otherwise noted, no usage without permission.

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