Perhaps the result of a merger between two colliding galaxies. Based on a recessional velocity of 7270 km/sec, IC 3150 is about 340 million light years away. Given that and its apparent size of 0.6 by 0.3 arcmins, about 60 thousand light years across. The galaxy is listed as a member (VCC 352) of the Virgo Cluster, but given its distance, is far beyond the Cluster.

Apparent size 0.8 by 0.4 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 356) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 1.8 by 1.2 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.5 by 0.5 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 359) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.4 by 0.2 arcmin.

Historical Identification:
Discovery Notes: Voigt's discovery was one of ten nebulae he discovered between March and August of 1865; but they were only noted in his observing records, and were not published until 1987, so Dreyer had no knowledge of his observation.
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.2 by 0.6 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 366) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.6 by 0.5 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 363) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.8 by 0.4 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 374) of the Virgo Cluster.

Per Dreyer, IC 3158 (Schwassmann #87, 1860 RA 12 12 41, NPD 79 55.8) is "extremely faint, considerably small, extremely questionable". The position precesses to RA 12 19 49.0, Dec +09 17 32, but there is nothing there save for some stars (which is perhaps to be expected, given the statement "extremely questionable"). Per Corwin, Adelaide Ames and Dorothy Carlson stated that the object was only a star, but not which one. The most obvious choice is the star about 0.3 arcmin southeast of the IC position, so that is the one listed above; but there is really no way to know which star Schwassmann recorded, and in a catalog of clusters and nebulae, it hardly matters whether that choice is right or wrong.

Apparent size 0.5 by 0.3 arcmin.

Per Dreyer, IC 3160 (Schwassmann #88, 1860 RA 12 12 52, NPD 80 07.3) is "extremely faint, considerably small". The position precesses to RA 12 20 00.0, Dec +09 06 03, right on the star listed above, and there is nothing else nearby, so the identification as the star is certain.

Per Dreyer, IC 3161 (Schwassmann #89, 1860 RA 12 12 53, NPD 80 13.5) is "extremely faint, very small, perhaps a star, connected with following one", the "following one" being IC 3162. The position precesses to RA 12 20 01.1, Dec +08 59 51, just south of the star listed above, with a nearly identical star closely following, so the identification of the pair of IC entries with the pair of stars is certain.

Per Dreyer, IC 3162 (Schwassmann #90, 1860 RA 12 12 55, NPD 80 13.5) is "extremely faint, very small, perhaps a star, connected with preceding one", the "preceding one" being IC 3161 (which see for images). The position precesses to RA 12 20 03.0, Dec +08 59 51, right on the star listed above, with a nearly identical star closely preceding, so the identification of the pair of IC entries with the pair of stars is certain.

Per Dreyer, IC 3163 (Schwassmann #90*, 1860 RA 12 12 55, NPD 79 58.0) is a "nebula or star?". The position precesses to RA 12 20 03.0, Dec +09 15 21, but there is nothing there, not even a particularly close star. Per Corwin, Adelaide Ames was the first to suggest that the pair of faint stars just under 3 seconds of time to the east of the IC position was Schwassmann's "object", and Carlson agreed, so the identification has become relatively standard and is better than nothing.

Per Dreyer, IC 3164 (Wolf list IV #18, 1860 RA 12 13 01, NPD 64 16.0) is "extremely faint, small, irregular figure, perhaps double star". The position precesses to RA 12 20 04.9, Dec +24 57 21, exactly midway between the pair of faint stars listed above. In modern images the stars are easily seen as separate objects, but per Corwin, on Wolf's plate the pair looks like an unresolved double star, so between the position and the description, the identification is certain.

Apparent size 2.2 by 1.1 arcmin.

Per Dreyer, IC 3166 (Swift list XII (#10), 1860 RA 12 13 08, NPD 28 31.7) is "most extremely faint, small, preceding of 2", the other being IC 3180. The position precesses to RA 12 19 53.9, Dec +60 41 39, but there is nothing there. A similar situation exists for IC 3180, which was recorded on the same night, just to the east of Swift's #10. Corwin supposes that the pair may be NGC 4284 and 4290 with a declination error of 2.6 degrees, but has some concerns about Swift's descriptions of the surrounding star fields (namely a 7.5 magnitude star to the south of #11, and the same star and a 5th magnitude star in the field of #10). There is a 5.5 magnitude star (70 Ursae Majoris) 14 arcmin to the south of the NGC pair, but nothing resembling a 7.5 magnitude star in that region, so Corwin discusses other fruitless efforts to identify the IC objects then concludes by stating that he suspects IC 3166 = NGC 4284, "but..." (in other words, is unwilling to commit himself). So although a duplicate observation of the NGC object is the most likely identification, what Swift observed will probably never be known with any certainty.

Apparent size 1.4 by 0.7 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 407) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.8 by 0.5 arcmin.

Per Dreyer, IC 3169 (Wolf list IV #22, 1860 RA 12 13 18, NPD 62 37.5) is "very faint, very small, round, brighter middle". The position precesses to RA 12 20 21.3, Dec +26 35 51, but there is nothing near there save for a 5th magnitude star. Thomson states that Dreyer made a 1 degree transcription error in the NPD, as Wolf's actual NPD was 63 37.5, and adds that Wolf gave an offset from IC 3171 that puts his #22 in exactly the correct position for the galaxy listed above. As a result, it is hardly surprising that the corrected position precesses to RA 12 20 21.6, Dec +25 35 51, on the southeastern edge of the galaxy, and the identification is certain. Apparent size 0.3 by 0.2 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.4 by 0.4 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 417) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.8 by 0.7 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.5 by 0.3 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.65 by 0.35 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 420) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.8 by 0.4 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 419) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.5 by 0.2 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 424) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.5 by 0.2 arcmin.

Per Dreyer, IC 3177 (Frost #866, 1860 RA 12 13 28, NPD 75 06) is "large, very much extended 45°, 2.5 arcmin across". With such a description, the object should be easy to identify, but there is absolutely nothing at the precessed position of RA 12 20 34.7, Dec +14 07 21. Corwin's opinion is that this must have been a plate defect, and every reference lists the object as not found, or nonexistent.

Per Dreyer, IC 3178 (Wolf list IV #26, 1860 RA 12 13 32, NPD 63 03.1) is "faint, very small, irregular figure, nucleus". The position precesses to RA 12 20 35.3, Dec +26 10 15, half an arcmin to the north of the star listed above, and both Corwin and Thomson state that there is no doubt that the star is Wolf's #26. However, there has been consideration confusion involving this object and a nearby galaxy (IC 3179, which see for further discussion and images), so while some references list the star as IC 3178, others list it as not found, or don't even have an entry for IC 3178.

Per Dreyer, IC 3179 (Wolf list IV #27, 1860 RA 12 13 35, NPD 63 03.4) is "faint, very small, irregular figure, nucleus". The position precesses to RA 12 20 38.3, Dec +26 09 57, on the northeast edge of the galaxy listed above, so the identification should be certain, and both Corwin and Thomson agree with it. However, confusion about the star (IC 3178) preceding the galaxy has led to misidentifications of IC 3179 as IC 3178, and the assignment of IC 3179 to the faint galaxy to its southeast. (As it turns out, we can definitely rule out the fainter galaxy, as Corwin has examined a print of Wolf's plate, and states that the star listed as IC 3178 and the galaxy listed here as IC 3179 are both visible on the print, but the fainter galaxy is not.) Apparent size 0.3 by 0.3 arcmin.

As noted in the entry for IC 3179 (which see for images), the identification of SDSS J122039.57+260936.6 as that IC object can be definitely ruled out, as it is not visible on a print of Wolf's plate of the region. Apparent size 0.2 by 0.15 arcmin. Apparently nothing else available.

Per Dreyer, IC 3180 (Swift list XII (#11), 1860 RA 12 13 38, NPD 28 31.7) is "very faint, pretty large, round, 7.5 magnitude star to south, following of 2", the other being IC 3166. The position precesses to RA 12 20 23.1, Dec +60 41 39, but there is nothing there. A similar situation exists for IC 3166, which was recorded on the same night, just to the west of Swift's #11. Corwin supposes that the pair may be NGC 4284 and 4290 with a declination error of 2.6 degrees, but has some concerns about Swift's descriptions of the surrounding star fields (namely a 7.5 magnitude star to the south of #11, and the same star and a 5th magnitude star in the field of #10). There is a 5.5 magnitude star (70 Ursae Majoris) 14 arcmin to the south of the NGC pair, but nothing resembling a 7.5 magnitude star in that region, so Corwin discusses other fruitless efforts to identify the IC objects then concludes by stating that he suspects IC 3180 = NGC 4290, "but..." (in other words, is unwilling to commit himself). So although a duplicate observation of the NGC object is the most likely identification, what Swift observed will probably never be known with any certainty.

The NGC and IC positions are essentially the same, so there is no doubt about the equality of the two entries. The only explanation for the duplication is that Wolf and Dreyer simply happened to miss the connection. (See NGC 4286 for anything else.)

Per Dreyer, IC 3182 (Schwassmann #237, 1860 RA 12 13 41, NPD 76 29.7) is "very faint, small, binuclear". The position precesses to RA 12 20 48.0, Dec +12 43 39, near the centroid of a group of three stars. Per Thomson, Carlson described it as a group of three stars, so the identification has been considered certain for at least 70 years.

Per Dreyer, IC 3183 (Schwassmann #9, 1860 RA 12 13 41, NPD 82 32.1) is "very faint, considerably small, perhaps a star?". The position precesses to RA 12 20 49.5, Dec +06 41 15, almost on top of the star listed above, so the identification is certain. The only caveat is that (per Corwin) Schwassmann's #9 may have included the magnitude 15.4 star an arcmin north-northeast, and although the description of IC 3183 as "considerably small" makes that unlikely, it cannot be ruled out, so some references list this as the pair of stars.

Per Dreyer, IC 3184 (Wolf list IV #29, 1860 RA 12 13 44, NPD 64 18.5) is "pretty faint, considerably small, extended 40°, brighter middle". The position precesses to RA 12 20 47.6, Dec +24 54 51, right on the galaxy, so the identification is certain. Steinicke lists the bright spot near the northeast end of the galaxy as a small companion, but the SDSS image shows that it is merely a foreground star. Apparent size 0.6 by 0.3 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.7 by 0.2 arcmin. Just to the west of IC 3189.

Apparent size 0.6 by 0.4 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.6 by 0.3. Listed as a member (VCC 443) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.6 by 0.4 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 442) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.45 by 0.25 arcmin. Just to the east of IC 3185, which see for images.

Per Dreyer, IC 3190 (Schwassmann #136, 1860 RA 12 13 55, NPD 79 39.2) is "extremely faint, extremely small". The position precesses to RA 12 21 02.8, Dec +09 34 10, just east of the star listed above, and there is nothing else nearby, so the identity is certain.

Per Dreyer, IC 3191 (Schwassmann #45, 1860 RA 12 13 57, NPD 81 31.1) is "very faint, very small, round". The position precesses to RA 12 21 05.2, Dec +07 42 16, right on the star listed above, and there is nothing else nearby, so the identity is certain.

Apparent size 0.7 by 0.5 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 452) of the Virgo Cluster.

Apparent size 0.9 by 0.3 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.35 by 0.3 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.4 by 0.4 arcmin.

Apparent size 0.4 by 0.3 arcmin.

Per Dreyer, IC 3197 (Wolf list IV #37, 1860 RA 12 14 23, NPD 63 46.8) is "faint, very small, round, bright middle". The position precesses to RA 12 21 26.2, Dec +25 26 34, just southeast of the star listed above, and there is nothing else nearby, so the identity is certain.

Per Dreyer, IC 3198 (Wolf list IV #38, 1860 RA 12 14 28, NPD 62 51.4) is "extremely faint, small, irregular figure". The position precesses to RA 12 21 30.9, Dec +26 21 58, just west of the star listed above, and there is nothing else nearby, so the identity is certain.

Apparent size 1.0 by 0.6 arcmin. Listed as a member (VCC 500) of the Virgo Cluster.