NGC 3432 -- Dwarf Barred Spiral Galaxy in Leo Minor
Knitting Needle Galaxy
NGC 3432 was my big surprise for the night. I had not expected the ease of detecting details
in this magnitude 11.2 galaxy. This galaxy seemed easier to find than the stated magnitude
suggested. The core was bright and caught my eye immediately as it slewed into the eyepiece
at low power. I settled on the magnification of 137x for observing/drawing. The core was
elongated and appeared mottled with no distinct central nucleus. With a little more effort, the
thin disk arms (this galaxy is edge-on) on either side of the core could be traced out to a
considerable distance. A pretty and unexpected sight.
in this magnitude 11.2 galaxy. This galaxy seemed easier to find than the stated magnitude
suggested. The core was bright and caught my eye immediately as it slewed into the eyepiece
at low power. I settled on the magnification of 137x for observing/drawing. The core was
elongated and appeared mottled with no distinct central nucleus. With a little more effort, the
thin disk arms (this galaxy is edge-on) on either side of the core could be traced out to a
considerable distance. A pretty and unexpected sight.