PGC 60020: a Polar-Ring Galaxy

TL;DR

This study presents detailed observations of galaxy PGC 60020, confirming it as a classical polar-ring galaxy with a rotating gas, dust, and star disk inclined at 60 degrees, and identifying a potential tidal tail structure.

Contribution

First detailed analysis of PGC 60020 confirming its classification as a polar-ring galaxy with new imaging and spectral data.

Findings

PGC 60020 is a classical polar-ring galaxy.

The main galaxy is an S0 type with a tilted gas and star disk.

A possible tidal tail connects to a nearby galaxy.

Abstract

We present an analysis of new observations of a peculiar galaxy PGC 60020, obtained with the 6-m BTA telescope of the SAO RAS with a multimode SCORPIO instrument. The observational data includes direct images in the B, V, Rc photometric bands and long-slit spectra in the red range (the Ha line spectral region). Based on the analysis of these data it was found that PGC 60020 belongs to the type of classical polar-ring galaxies. Its main body is an S0 galaxy, around the major axis of which a disk of gas, dust and stars is rotating in the plane inclined at an angle of about 60 degrees to the galactic plane. A loop-shaped structure stretches from the southern part of this disk (possibly, a tidal tail) towards the SDSS J171745.58+404137.1 galaxy.