U 315
05:04 to 05:36
-17° to -28°
Cae, Col, Lep

THE CENTRAL PART OF the Hare graces this chart, which contains a mixture of bright stars, faint galaxies, and a Messier cluster.

FEATURED OBJECTS: NGC 1904, NGC 1964.

NGC 1904
Bennett 34
Messier 79, ESO487-SC007, GCL-10
RA 05:24:10
Dec -24°31.5'
Globular cluster

This globular cluster in Lepus was observed by Mechain in 1780. The NGC description reads: "pretty large, extremely rich, extremely compressed, clearly resolved into stars".

In the Philosophical Transactions, 1814, William Herschel wrote "January 13, 1806. Large 10 feet Newtonian telescope. The 79th of the Connoissance des Temps is a cluster of stars of a globular construction, and certainly extremely rich. Towards the centre the stars are extremely compressed, and even a good way from it. With 171 power the diameter is a little less than 1/2 of the field, and with 220 a little more; the field of one being 9' and of the other 8', a mean of both gives the diameter of the cluster 2' 50 arcseconds, but I suppose that the lowness of the situation prevents my seeing the thinly scattered stars, so that this cluster is probably larges that it appears." In the Philosophical Transactions, 1818, William Herschel wrote: "1783, 7 feet telescope. With 57 nebulous; with 86 a strong suspicion of its being stars. 1799, 10 feet telescope. 300 power shows the stars of it with difficulty. 1784, 20 feet telescope, a beautiful cluster of stars, nearly 3' diameter. 1806, large 10 feet telescope. A globular cluster, the stars of which are extremely compressed in the middle; with 171 and 220 the diameter is 2' 50 seconds, but the lowness of the situation probably prevents my seeing the whole of its extent."

Hartung notes that a 4-inch telescope "will show the outlying stars faintly. It is bright, of moderate condensed type and about 2.5' across with outliers extending considerably wider. Large apertures show gleaming points right to the centre. It lies in a fine field..."

Tom Lorenzin: "8.4M; 7.5' diameter; rich, compressed and faint; bright center, off center to S; DBL ST ADS3954 is 35' to WSW."

Sanford notes that "in small telescopes, it remains unresolved, but shows a few stars around the edges in an 8-inch. A 12-inch or larger will show the object richly resolved into a tight ball of faint stars."

Steve Gottlieb, 17.5-inch: "40-50 stars resolved mostly in halo or at the edge of the very mottled core. A string of six stars is just E of center and a long string passes through the core. The brightest mag 12.5 is N of the core"; 13-inch: "about 40 stars resolved including a few over the core."; 8-inch: "small bright core, few stars at edge and core, mottled. The outer halo is well resolved in excellent conditions."

Steve Coe, observing with a 13" f/5.6, notes: "Pretty bright, pretty large, round, very bright in the middle at 135X. Well resolved, with about 12 stars in the compressed central section and another 50 stars in the outer portions. All against a very grainy backround. Easily seen in the finder."

11x80: Observed this globular quite low on horizon, soon after setting up so dark adaptation not fully set in. It can be missed while sweeping, looking star-like. The nebulous atmosphere, however, is evident with direct vision once located. It is neatly flanked by two 8th mag stars due north/south. A slightly orange 5th mag star, shown as double, lies over half a degree to the west-southwest, serving as a convenient marker. (suburban skies) [AS]

13.1-inch f/4.4 Newtonian: "Very large and very bright. Has a large nucleus, and is oval east-west. Poor halo. In the southern portion of the edge seems to have a dark arc which limits the nucleus. There are approximately 10 stars surrounding it in all directions out to 3'." [229x, 14', sketched] (urban) [GG]

15.5-inch f/9 Newtonian: At 220x the cluster appears very bright and large. It is surrounded by a perimeter of field-stars and there is a single star to the southwest. The definite nucleus appears angular, with a straight edge running southwest to northeast. There is a gradual decrease in brightness to the outer edge of this very charming cluster. (suburban skies) [AS]

13.1-inch f/4.4 Newt., 6.4mm S.Plossl, 229x. Image 7’ x 7’. Gabriel Giust, Martinez, Buenos Aires, Arg. North up, east left.

NGC 1964
ESO554-G010
RA 05:33:20
Dec -21°56.7'
Galaxy

H IV-021: "vS, stellar, very bright nucleus and vF chevelure, not quite central."

h: "F, irregularly round, vsbM, to a star 12th mag, 2 or 3 stars involved, and several bright ones near."

Hartung writes: "In a star-sprinkled field is a fairly conspicuous luminous haze about 2' long and elliptical in PA 45 with a bright stellar nucleus as well as three very faint stars involved S.p. A 4-inch shows little more than the nucleus".

Listed by the Herschel Club, described as "nucleus visible, outer area difficult to make out, use averted. Situated with a few field stars close at hand, slight elongation visible. 6-inch, 48x."

Tom Lorenzin: "11.8M; 5'x 1.6' extent; large, faint, flat ellipse with much brighter center; axis oriented NNE-SSW"

Steve Coe, observing with a 13" f/5.6, notes: "Pretty bright, small, somewhat elongated, brighter in the middle at 100X. Pretty bright star involved near the core on SW side."

Steve Gottlieb, 17.5-inch: "fairly faint, fairly large, very elongated 3:1 SSW-NNE, unusually bright stellar nucleus. A mag 13.5 star is at the W edge 0.7' from center and a mag 14 star is at the SSW edge of the major axis 1.2' from center. Located just SW of a thin triangle of mag 9.5-10.5 stars, the closest being mag 9.3 SAO 170546 1.7' NW of center."; 13-inch: "faint, elongated, small bright nucleus, fairly small, faint halo surrounded core."

RNGC: S,BM,INC,SEV* SUP BWDDIF SPIRAL ARMS.

15.5-inch f/9 Newtonian: At 220x this galaxy forms a trapezium with 3 very bright field stars. The galaxy is stellar at first, but then shows extended nebulosity to the north, and to the west lies a bright knot. The knot seems elongated. There is a small star or bright nebulosity to the north of the bright knot. A very interesting object. (suburban skies) [AS]