Visual Observation: This supernova has been bright enough to visually observe in 8 inch or larger telescopes. While we where capturing the image above, several Kopernik Astro Society members where able to observe it using KAS Member Gary Durish's Celestron C-11 telescope. During periods of good seeing it was easy to see SN1999em embedded in the nebulosity of NGC 1637.
Follow this Link to a NASA Web site on supernovas. It has a very nice animation and a description of what these objects are.
Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1637:
NGC 1637 is a distinctly asymmetrical Barred Spiral Galaxy of low surface brightness, with a rather small bar. Although the inner pair of arms is completely symmetrical, another arm sprouts from the south side and wraps a full 180 degrees around, with no apparent counterpart on the opposite side. Astronomers believe that this single arm is not a new feature, but can not explain how it could remain stable for a long period.
Dreyer's description from the New General Catalog(NGC): Considerably bright, large, round, very gradually brighter middle.
Based on the published red shift, a rough distance estimate for NGC 1637 and supernova 1999em is: 38,000,000 light years, with the galaxy being 44,000 light years in diameter.
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George Normandin, KAS
December 5th, 1999
Revised: Dec. 2nd, 2001