The Arp Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies April 4, 2007
Posted by dorigo in astronomy, books, internet, personal, science.14 comments
Today I ordered my copy of “The Arp Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies“, by Jeff Kanipe and Dennis Webb (published by Willmann-Bell). If it is as good as it looks, I will receive it with joy. As a visual observer, I am always on the lookout for small, interesting galaxies to aim my 16″ telescope at…
Of course, the structural details of many of the cataloged celestial bodies are out of reach with my instrument, but visual astronomers always love challenges! And with the spring constellations high in the night sky, my galaxy fever is high this year. Leo, Coma Berenices, Ursa Major and Virgo all contain scores of galaxies that are a treat to study.
Here is an excerpt from the publisher’s site:
In 1966, astronomer Halton Arp compiled his Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, which featured 338 images of some of the strangest looking galaxies and galaxy groups then known to exist. The purpose of the Atlas, Arp stated in his preface, was to graphically present structural peculiarities in galaxies “in order to build a realistic picture of what galaxies are really like.” At the time, astronomers were struggling to formulate a workable taxonomy of “symmetrical” galaxies using classification schemes such as Edwin Hubble’s tuning fork diagram. But the Atlas was comprised of the “Elephant Men” of galaxies, and their deformations challenged and defied astronomers’ attempts at galaxy classification.
