Serendipitous 2MASS discoveries near the Galactic Plane: A spiral galaxy and two globular clusters

We present the basic properties of three objects near the Galactic Plane-a large galaxy and two candidate globular clusters-discovered in the Two Micr on All-Sky Survey (2MASS) data set. All were noted during spot checks of th e data during 2MASS quality assurance reviews. The galaxy is a late-type sp iral galaxy (Sc-Sd), similar to 11 Mpc distant, at l = 236.degrees 82, b = - 1.degrees 86. From its observed angular extent of 6.'3 in the near infrar ed, we estimate an extinction-corrected optical diameter of similar to 9.'5 , making it larger than most Messier galaxies. The candidate globular clust ers are similar to 2'-3' in extent and are hidden optically behind foregrou nd extinctions of A(V) similar to 18-21 mag at l similar to 10 degrees, b s imilar to 0 degrees. These chance discoveries were not the result of any ki nd of systematic search, but they do hint at the wealth of obscured sources of all kinds, many previously unknown, that are in the 2MASS data set.