Herschel 301
NGC 5557

Object Type Galaxy E1
Constellation Bootes
Magnitude 10.9
Size 2.4' x 1.9'


Combination of 5, 3 minute images unfiltered.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 Dall-Kirkham cassegrain telescope at prime focus.

The strange-looking object on the left of the image is a pair of possibly interacting galaxies, NGC 5544 and NGC 5545. NGC 5544 is the brighter at magnitude 14.0. NGC 5545 is magnitude 14.9. In this image it is not possible to tell if they are actually interacting or just simply line of sight, but I suspect the latter.

Visual Observation Notes:- NGC 5557.

Moderately large and bright with a bright centre. NGC 5544 and NGC 5545 visible in same field.
18" f/5 newtonian. 16mm nagler eyepiece. 143x.
Sky View observatory. Zenith limiting magnitude 6.7.