NGC 2685 - (R)SB0+ pec/PRG

NGC 2685

De Vaucouleurs Atlas Type: (R)SB0+ pec/PRG

Filter: g

Telescope: SDSS 2.5-m
North upper left , East lower left
Field Dimensions: 5.4 x 4.1 arcminutes

RC3 Type: (R)SB0+ pec
RSA Type: S03(7) pec
Surface Brightness Range Displayed: 17.5-27.0 mag per square arcsec
Absolute Blue Magnitude: -19.3

De Vaucouleurs Atlas Description:

NGC 2685 was noted by Sandage (1961) to be ``perhaps the most unusual galaxy in the Shapley-Ames catalogue." This is because the galaxy appears to have two axes of symmetry, approximately orthogonal to each other. Whitmore et al. (1990) suggested that NGC 2685 is a probable polar ring galaxy (see book section 2.17.5), and recent studies (e.g., Schinnerer and Scoville 2002) support this idea. The main galaxy appears to be a highly inclined SB0 with an outer ring. The PRG lies mainly within this bar region. The color index map (where z is a 900nm SDSS filter) shows the reddening of the inner regions by dust in the PRG. Otherwise, the PR section is bluer than the main galaxy.