NGC 4874

Combination of 3, 3 minute images.
Meade 416XTE CCD. 8" f/6 newtonian telescope at prime focus.

NGC 4874 is a giant elliptical galaxy that is a major member of the Coma Cluster of Galaxies, or Abell Galaxy Cluster 1556. This huge cluster is nearly 10 times further away than the Virgo cluster, at a distance of over 400 million light years. This means that most of the members of the cluster are small and faint.

At magnitude 12.6, NGC 4874 is the second brightest member of the cluster and is visible in telescopes as small a 5". Within 1.5 degrees of the centre of the cluster there are over 800 galaxies brighter than magnitude 16.5. While undoubtably many of these are background galaxies, the cluster is nontheless very rich.

The photograph above shows the region centred NGC 4874. Even this small region (about 20' x 14') there are more than 50 galaxies visible. In the image, the brightest member of the cluster, NGC 4889, is at the lefthand edge. Some of the brighter galaxies are numbered on the image below. With a 17.5" telescope and moderate magnification, it is possible to have nearly 100 galaxies visible in the field under dark skies!

Combination of 2, 3 minute images.
Meade 416XTE CCD. 300mm f/6 newtonian telescope at prime focus.

The list below gives the name of the galaxy, its position, magnitude, and size, as indicated in the image above. Many of the fainter magnitudes are photographic and will appear brighter to the eye. How many objects from this list can you locate? Detailed finder charts are available here.

Number NGC/IC PGC R.A. Dec Mag Size

1 NGC 4864 PGC 44566 12 59.2 +27 58.6 14.6 0.7' x 0.7'

2 NGC 4867 PGC 44568 12 59.3 +27 58.2 15.4 0.6' x 0.5'

3 - 12 59.4 +27 58.3 - 0.3' x 0.1'

4 PGC 44598 12 59.3 +27 58.4 - 0.4' x 0.2'

5 PGC 44597 12 59.4 +27 58.1 16.7 0.4' x 0.2'

6 NGC 4869 PGC 44587 12 59.4 +27 54.7 14.8 0.7' x 0.7'

7 NGC 4871 PGC 44606 12 59.5 +27 57.3 15.2 0.7' x 0.5'

8 NGC 4872 PGC 44624 12 59.6 +27 56.8 15.4 0.6' x 0.4'

9 NGC 4873 PGC 44621 12 59.5 +27 59.0 15.1 0.7' x 0.5'

10 NGC 4874 PGC 44628 12 59.6 +27 57.5 12.6 2.3' x 2.3'

11 PGC 44636 12 59.6 +27 59.2 14.8 0.4' x 0.3'

12 PGC 44651 12 59.7 +27 58.1 - 0.5' x 0.2'

13 PGC 44644 12 59.6 +27 57.2 14.4 0.4' x 0.2'

14 PGC 44652 12 59.7 +27 57.5 - 0.5' x 0.2'

15 IC 3998 PGC 44664 12 59.8 +27 58.4 15.6 0.6' x 0.4'

16 MAC 1259+2753 12 59.8 +27 53.4 - 0.2' x 0.2'

17 NGC 4875 PGC 44640 12 59.6 +27 54.4 15.7 0.5' x 0.4'

18 PGC 44649 12 59.7 +27 55.5 16.6 0.3' x 0.3'

19 NGC 4876 PGC 44658 12 59.7 +27 54.7 15.4 0.6' x 0.4'

20 PGC 44666 12 59.8 +27 55.4 - 0.3' x 0.3'

21 PGC 44675 12 59.9 +27 55.8 16.4 0.6' x 0.3'

22 PGC 44692 13 00.0 +27 56.4 - 0.2' x 0.2'

23 PGC 44693 13 00.1 +27 56.6 - 0.2' x 0.2'

24 MAC 1300+2757A 13 00.1 +27 57.9 - 0.2' x 0.1'

25 NGC 4886 PGC 44698 13 00.1 +27 59.2 13.8 0.6' x 0.6'

26 IC 4011 PGC 44705 13 00.1 +28 00.2 16.1 0.4' x 0.4'

27 PGC 44656 12 59.7 +27 54.7 15.4 0.6' x 0.4'

28 PGC 44708 13 00.1 +27 58.7 - 0.6' x 0.1'

29 NGC 4889 PGC 44715 13 00.1 +27 58.6 12.5 2.8' x 2.2'

30 PGC 44602 12 59.5 +28 02.4 16.5 0.5' x 0.3'

31 PGC 44635 12 59.6 +27 59.8 - 0.3' x 0.3'

32 PGC 44594 12 59.4 +27 59.9 16.6 0.3' x 0.2'

Number	NGC/IC	PGC	R.A.	Dec	Mag	Size
1	NGC 4864	PGC 44566	12 59.2	+27 58.6	14.6	0.7' x 0.7'
2	NGC 4867	PGC 44568	12 59.3	+27 58.2	15.4	0.6' x 0.5'
3		-	12 59.4	+27 58.3	-	0.3' x 0.1'
4		PGC 44598	12 59.3	+27 58.4	-	0.4' x 0.2'
5		PGC 44597	12 59.4	+27 58.1	16.7	0.4' x 0.2'
6	NGC 4869	PGC 44587	12 59.4	+27 54.7	14.8	0.7' x 0.7'
7	NGC 4871	PGC 44606	12 59.5	+27 57.3	15.2	0.7' x 0.5'
8	NGC 4872	PGC 44624	12 59.6	+27 56.8	15.4	0.6' x 0.4'
9	NGC 4873	PGC 44621	12 59.5	+27 59.0	15.1	0.7' x 0.5'
10	NGC 4874	PGC 44628	12 59.6	+27 57.5	12.6	2.3' x 2.3'
11		PGC 44636	12 59.6	+27 59.2	14.8	0.4' x 0.3'
12		PGC 44651	12 59.7	+27 58.1	-	0.5' x 0.2'
13		PGC 44644	12 59.6	+27 57.2	14.4	0.4' x 0.2'
14		PGC 44652	12 59.7	+27 57.5	-	0.5' x 0.2'
15	IC 3998	PGC 44664	12 59.8	+27 58.4	15.6	0.6' x 0.4'
16		MAC 1259+2753	12 59.8	+27 53.4	-	0.2' x 0.2'
17	NGC 4875	PGC 44640	12 59.6	+27 54.4	15.7	0.5' x 0.4'
18		PGC 44649	12 59.7	+27 55.5	16.6	0.3' x 0.3'
19	NGC 4876	PGC 44658	12 59.7	+27 54.7	15.4	0.6' x 0.4'
20		PGC 44666	12 59.8	+27 55.4	-	0.3' x 0.3'
21		PGC 44675	12 59.9	+27 55.8	16.4	0.6' x 0.3'
22		PGC 44692	13 00.0	+27 56.4	-	0.2' x 0.2'
23		PGC 44693	13 00.1	+27 56.6	-	0.2' x 0.2'
24		MAC 1300+2757A	13 00.1	+27 57.9	-	0.2' x 0.1'
25	NGC 4886	PGC 44698	13 00.1	+27 59.2	13.8	0.6' x 0.6'
26	IC 4011	PGC 44705	13 00.1	+28 00.2	16.1	0.4' x 0.4'
27		PGC 44656	12 59.7	+27 54.7	15.4	0.6' x 0.4'
28		PGC 44708	13 00.1	+27 58.7	-	0.6' x 0.1'
29	NGC 4889	PGC 44715	13 00.1	+27 58.6	12.5	2.8' x 2.2'
30		PGC 44602	12 59.5	+28 02.4	16.5	0.5' x 0.3'
31		PGC 44635	12 59.6	+27 59.8	-	0.3' x 0.3'
32		PGC 44594	12 59.4	+27 59.9	16.6	0.3' x 0.2'