While imaging the Hickson 68 galaxy group on February 10, 2025, I noticed a faint, elongated object near pixel coordinates (504.5, 927.0) in my final stacked image. This object appeared distinct from stars, showing structure consistent with a small galaxy. What followed was a deep-dive into astrometric tools and catalogs to determine whether this was a known object—or something new.

The Discovery

• Object: Candidate Galaxy in Hickson 68 field
• Date: 2025-02-10
• Coordinates (ICRS): RA 13h 56m 18.496s, Dec +40° 22′ 32.01″
• Decimal Degrees: RA 208.57707°, Dec +40.375558°
• Pixel Location: (504.5, 927.0)
• Equipment: EdgeHD 8 / Artemis-M PRO
• Exposure: 35:05 Hrs Total Integration, mixed filters

Initial Observations

• The object appeared faint, extended, and structured—distinct from point sources like stars.
• RGB values measured: R=0.5780, G=0.4035, B=0.2945
• Crosshairs in the FITS viewer confirmed ICRS coordinates using WCS metadata from the image header

Catalog Search Results

• SIMBAD: No objects found within 2 arcminutes
• SDSS: Navigate tool returned “No objects found within 0.2 arcmin”
• Pan-STARRS: Imaging shows no visible object at the exact coordinate center in any band (g, r, i, z, y)

Conclusion

This object currently appears to be uncatalogued in major astronomical databases. Further investigation—including deeper imaging or spectroscopy—may be warranted. For now, it remains an intriguing ghost in the Hickson 68 field.

Next Steps

• Submit to Pan-STARRS Cutout viewer with broader FOV
• Prepare for possible TNS or preprint if future data supports a unique or transient classification
• Share findings with the amateur/pro-am astronomy community

Stay tuned… this one might have a story to tell.

Cheers!

Doug