2011ApJ...739L..26M

The Arecibo L-Band Feed Array Zone of Avoidance (ALFA ZOA) Survey has discovered a nearby galaxy, ALFA ZOA J1952+1428, at a heliocentric velocity of +279 km/s. The galaxy was discovered at low Galactic latitude by 21 cm emission from neutral hydrogen (H I). We have obtained follow-up observations with the Expanded Very Large Array and the 0.9 m Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy optical telescope. The H I distribution overlaps an uncataloged, potential optical counterpart. The H I linear size is 1.4 kpc at our adopted distance of D = 7 Mpc, but the distance estimate is uncertain as Hubble's law is unreliable at low recessional velocities. The optical counterpart has m_B= 16.9 mag and B - R = 0.1 mag. These characteristics, including MM_H1 = 10^7.0 M_☉ and L_B= 10^7.5 L_☉, if at 7 Mpc, indicate that this galaxy is a blue compact dwarf, but this remains uncertain until further follow-up observations are complete. Optical follow-up observations are ongoing and near-infrared follow-up observations have been scheduled.