Distribution of observed orientations of galaxies

Results of a search for anisotropy in the orientations of observed projected images of galaxies are reported. The data are taken from transparent copies of sky-survey plates. Three regions covered by a total of 15 plates are studied. To reduce and identify systematic errors, a 'double blind' scheme is used in which the plates as observed are rotated by an angle unknown to the scanner, and each plate is measured twice at two different viewing angles. The list of galaxies found in one catalog, but not the other, for a plate gives a measure of systematic error in selecting galaxies, while the list of galaxies found in both catalogs gives a measure of random and systematic errors in measurement. A total of 5559 galaxies have been measured in both catalogs. A small but significant departure from isotropy is found, but there is no reason to believe the effect is real because it does not satisfy tests of reproducibility. No evidence of anisotropy is found in the relative orientations of pairs of galaxies separated by less than about 1 Mpc (H = 100 km/sec per Mpc). For the galaxies in the Coma cluster proper, no evidence for anisotropy relative to a fixed direction in space is found. There is a possible indication that the galaxies are preferentially aligned along the radius vector to the center of the cluster.