NGC 5353 (UGC 8813) Group aka Hickson 68 Galaxies in Canes Venatici

includes NGC 5350 (Hick 68C, UGC 8810),  NGC 5353 (Hick 68A, UGC 8813), NGC 5354 (Hick 68B, UGC8814), NGC 5355 (Hick 68D, UGC 8819) and NGC 5358 (Hick 68E, UGC 8826)

NGC 5354 (centered) is located at: RA 13 hours 53 minutes 27 seconds, Dec +40 degrees 18 minutes 09 seconds

Size: 3.3'x2.4', 2.8'x2.2', 3.3'x1.8', 1.2'x0.7' and 1.7'x0.7'; Magnitude: 11.3v, 11.3v, 10.9v, 14.0b and 14.6b; Class: SB(r)b, S0 sp, S0 sp, S0? and S0/a

North is up

West to the right

Telescope:

 8" f5 Newtonian reflector

Camera:

  ST-8XME, self-guided, binned 1x1, temp -20c and -25c, camera control MaxIm DL 4.56
Image:

Lumicon Red filter, 470 minutes  (47 x 10 minute subs) 05/23/24/27/28/2010; seeing 1.6-2.7 FWHM per CCDStack
Processing:

CCDStack 2.6.3800.24688, Photoshop 7.0
Location:

 Rolling Roof Observatory, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 (+34d 13m 29s -118h 52m 20s)
Notes:

This gathering of small galaxies clusters around a 6.7 magnitude star called PPM 53791 (HD 121197). Also known as Hickson 68, this group is about  27 minutes SSW of the spiral galaxy NGC 5371.

From the NGC / IC Project:

Contemporary Visual Observation(s) for NGC 5350

NGC 5350 = UGC 08810 = MCG +07-29-009 = CGCG 219-017 = HCG 68c = PGC 49347
13 53 21.5 +40 21 49
V = 11.3;  Size 3.2x2.3;  SB = 13.3;  PA = 40d

13.1" (5/26/84): largest galaxy in the striking N5353 group = HCG 68.  Fairly 
faint, diffuse, slightly elongated, very weak concentration, no core.  Located 
on a line between mag 6.5 HD 121197 2.9' SW (not in SAO) and mag 9.3 SAO 44789 
5.0' NE.  First in the group with N5354 3.7' SSE, N5353 4.9' SSE, N5355 4.9' ESE 
and N5358 9.0' SE.

8" (5/21/82): faint, moderately large, diffuse, between two stars mag 6.5 and 
9.0.

- by Steve Gottlieb
Contemporary Visual Observation(s) for NGC 5353
NGC 5353 = UGC 08813 = MCG +07-29-010 = CGCG 219-018 = HCG 68a = PGC 49356
13 53 26.7 +40 16 59
V = 11.0;  Size 2.2x1.1;  SB = 11.8;  PA = 145d

13.1" (5/26/84): brightest in the N5353 group = HCG 68.  Fairly bright, oval 2:1 
NW-SE, gradually increases to a small bright core.  Forms a close pair with 
N5354 1.2' N.  Other nearby members are N5350 4.9' NNW, N5355 4.9' NE, N5358 
6.4' E.  Located 4.8' SE of mag 6.5 HD 121197.

8" (5/21/82): moderately bright, small.

- by Steve Gottlieb
Contemporary Visual Observation(s) for NGC 5354
NGC 5354 = UGC 08814 = MCG +07-29-011 = CGCG 219-019 = HCG 68b = PGC 49354
13 53 26.7 +40 18 10
V = 11.4;  Size 1.4x1.3;  SB = 11.9

13.1" (5/26/84): member of the N5353 group = HCG 68.  Fairly faint, fairly 
small, broad concentration.  Forms a very close pair with brighter N5353 1.2' S.  
Located 4.0' SE of mag 6.5 HD 121197.  Nearby members include N5350 3.8' N and 
N5355 4.2' NE.

8" (5/21/82): fairly faint, moderately large, even surface brightness, close 
pair with N5353 1' S.

- by Steve Gottlieb

Contemporary Visual Observation(s) for NGC 5355

NGC 5355 = UGC 08819 = MCG +07-29-012 = CGCG 219-020 = HCG 68d = PGC 49380
13 53 45.6 +40 20 19
V = 13.1;  Size 1.2x0.7;  SB = 12.8;  PA = 35d

13.1" (5/26/84): faint, small, slightly elongated SSW-NNE, even surface 
brightness.  Member of the N5353 group = HCG 68 and located 7' due E of mag 6.5 
HD 121197.  Nearby members are N5350 4.9' WNW, N5358 4.7' SE and N5353 4.8' SW.

- by Steve Gottlieb
Contemporary Visual Observation(s) for NGC 5358
NGC 5358 = UGC 08826 = MCG +07-29-013 = CGCG 219-022 = HCG 68e = PGC 49389
13 54 00.4 +40 16 38
V = 13.6;  Size 1.1x0.3;  SB = 12.3;  PA = 138d

13.1" (5/26/84): faintest member of the N5353 group = HCG 68.  Very faint, very 
small, very elongated NW-SE.  A close double mag 13 double star at 8" separation 
is 1.1' SSE.  Located 6.4' E of N5353 and 4.7' SE of N5355.

- by Steve Gottlieb