📝 SummarXiv

Abstract

The typical galaxy in the local universe is expected to be in a self-regulated quasi-equilibrium, displaying a settled morphology that falls within the Hubble Sequence. The Arp and Arp-Madore catalogs are filled with striking examples of galaxies that defy these expectations, making them useful targets for studying the astrophysics that controls dramatic, but short-lived, episodes of disequilibrium that mark galaxies' evolution. In this paper, we greatly expand the available Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of galaxies drawn from the Arp and Arp-Madore catalogs. We present new optical F606W images and point-source photometry for 216 systems, whose sizes are well-matched to the Advanced Camera for Surveys' (ACS) wide field of view. Essentially none of the sample had been previously observed with Hubble. The resulting images display rich morphologies, revealing a variety of massive stars, HII regions, stellar clusters, dust lanes, tidal tails, backlit galaxies, and occasional chance superpositions. We provide a pedagogical guide for interpreting highly-resolved optical galaxy images, which has general application beyond this atlas. The atlas images also provide a superb starting point for more detailed studies with high-resolution imaging in other wavelengths, and spectroscopy to track kinematics and the interstellar medium (ISM). Areas of obvious scientific relevance include feedback and star formation in merging and interacting galaxies, resolved stellar populations at the extremes of stellar density, the properties of young massive stars and stellar clusters, the physics of the cold ISM and dust, and stellar and gas dynamics.