U 402
12:24 to 13:12
-39° to -50°
Cen
Mar-Jun

FEATURED OBJECTS: NGC 4373, NGC 4507, NGC 4696, NGC 4785, NGC 4767, NGC 4945, NGC 4945A, NGC 4976 (Ben 58).

NGC 4373
MCG-06-27-025
RA 12:25:21
Dec -39° 45.6'
Galaxy

h: "pretty bright, small, round, pretty gradually very much brighter in the middle."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 12.5 mag galaxy. Their coded description reads E,R,BM,COM1'SPR. Sandage (1975, Astrophysical Journal, 202, 563-582) notes that this galaxy is a member of the NGC 4373 Group. Members include NGC 4373, IC 3290 & IC 3370.

NGC 4507
Shapley-Ames 2, New 2, MCG-07-26-011
RA 12:35:40
Dec -39° 55.5'
Galaxy

h: "pretty bright, small, round, pretty suddenly much brighter in the middle to a 16th mag star." On the next sweep he recorded it as pretty faint, small, round, pretty suddenly much brighter in the middle to a 16th mag star."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 13.0 mag galaxy. Their coded description reads R,SO),DIF,SBM.

NGC 4696
MCG-07-26-051
RA 12:48:51
Dec -41° 19.3'
Galaxy

h: "pretty bright, large, round, gradually brighter in the middle, 2' resolvable."

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Centaurus Cluster has V = 11.25, B-V = 1.06 and U-B = 0.71. It measures 2.55 by 2.32. He remarks: "NGC 4696 becomes redder in the larger diaphragm in U-B. This may be due to the fact that, in addition to the main dust lane near the nucleus, there are also very faint absorption filaments in the outer regions."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 12.0 mag galaxy. Their coded description reads E,R,BM,EXTHALO. Sandage (1975, Astrophysical Journal, 202, 563-582) notes that this galaxy is a member of the Centaurus Cluster. Members include NGC 4645, NGC 4677, NGC 4683, NGC 4696, NGC 4706, NGC 4709, NGC 4743, NGC 4744 & NGC 4767.

NGC 4785
ESO219-G004
RA 12:53:25
Dec -48° 45.0'
Galaxy

h: "vF, S, R, glbM."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a galaxy. Their coded description reads 24-R,IRRDIFHALO,BAR).

15.5-inch f/9 Newtonian: Appears as an oval smudge of light, surrounded by a ring of faint stars. Two very faint stars preceding it, one of which might be involved with the galaxy. At times the galaxy appears irregular in shape, although this elongated impression could be caused by the proximity of the small star. At a higher magnification (260x) the two preceding stars are clearly separated from the galaxy. The galaxy has a very bright core, almost as if there is a bright star near the centre of this otherwise faint oval smudge. (suburban skies) [AS]

NGC 4767
MCG-06-28-023
RA 12:53:52
Dec -39° 42.3'
Galaxy

h: "bright, small, slightly elongated, pretty suddenly much brighter in the middle; 25 arcseconds. Wind violent." On a second occasion he called it "pretty faint, small,round, not 1st class." His final observation recorded it as "pretty bright, pretty large, slightly elongated, gradually much brighter in the middle; 40 arcseconds."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 13.0 mag galaxy. Their coded description reads E,BM,SLEL,DIFHALO KN SUSP IN HALO. Sandage (1975, Astrophysical Journal, 202, 563-582) notes that this galaxy is a member of the Centaurus Cluster. Members include NGC 4645, NGC 4677, NGC 4683, NGC 4696, NGC 4706, NGC 4709, NGC 4743, NGC 4744 & NGC 4767.

NGC 4945
ESO219-G024
RA 13:05:25
Dec -49° 28.3'
Galaxy

Dunlop 411: "a beautiful long nebula, about 10' long, and 2' broad, forming an angle with the meridian, about 30 south preceding and north following; the brightest and broadest part is rather nearer the south preceding extremity than the centre, and it gradually diminishes in breadth and brightness towards the extremeties, but the breadth is much better defined than the length. A small star near the north, and a smaller star near the south extremity, but neither of them is involved in he nebula. I have strong suspicions that the nebula is resolvable into stars, with very slight compression towards the centre. I have no doubt but it is resolvable. I can see the stars, they are merely points. This is north following the first zeta Centauri." Dunlop sketched the galaxy and observed it seven times.

h: "Bright; very large; very much elongated; very gradually a little brighter in the middle. Length much more than a diameter of the field, or than 15'. Its light extends to a star 14th mag beyond the parallel of Brisbane 4299. Position of elongation 38.7 ."

Hartung says of this galaxy: "A beautiful star field makes fine contrast with this long, narrow luminous haze about 15' by 1.5' in PA 40 ; it is slightly convex N.p. and fairly uniform in brightness except towards the fading ends. Even a 3 inch telescope will show a faint streak about 10' long."

This galaxy is a member of the fairly nearby Centaurus group of galaxies, which includes NGC 4945, 5102, 5128, 5236 and NGC 5253. The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 9.5 mag galaxy. Sandage and Tammann (1975, Astrophysical Journal, 196, 313-328) includes this galaxy in the NGC 5128 Group. Members include NGC 4945, NGC 5068, NGC 5102, NGC 5128 & NGC 5236.

Additional data: Inclination: (face-on, in degrees) 84 Total photoelectric blue mag 9.3 Logarithm of the angular diameter D25 (arcminutes) 2.30 Blue photographic magnitude 9.15 This galaxy is included in a sample of galaxies with velocity less than 500km/s with respect to the centroid of the Local Group. [Nearby Galaxies. Schmidt K.-H., Priebe A., Boller T. (Astron. Nachr. 314, 371 (1993))]

Steve Coe, in “SACNEWS On-Line for May 1996”, observing with a 17.5" f/4.5 Dobsonian, notes: “... pretty bright, very large, elongated and much brighter in the middle at 100X ...”

Sanford calls it "a bright streak .. resembling a smaller version of NGC 253 .. A 10-inch will show the dark dusty mottling along the galaxy."

11x80: Good test for suburban and exurban sky conditions, as is the Dark Dooded. Just 4 degrees from Omega Centauri lies this consistenly tough object. Under less than good conditions, no amount of careful study will show it. When the skies are good, it appears as a very much elongated thin spindle within a naked-eye triangle of three stars, north of Crux. This long streak of light can be seen aligned almost between two small stars. Under pristine skies, this spectacular binocular galaxy is easily found. Very long, straight wisp of soft light, 90 arcsec thick and 7.5 arcmin long (1:5 ratio). It does requite some attention to see as very long; otherwise appears as a fat ellipse. [AS]

15.5-inch f/9 Newtonian: In a 15.5-inch telescope it shows as a ghostly spindle of light lying northeast to southwest. It measures about 15' along its major axis, ending in faded extensions. A short chain of stars runs due west from the southwestern edge of the galaxy; opposite this chain on the northeast lies a single pretty bright star. (suburban skies) [AS]

NGC 4945A
ESO219-G028
RA 13:06:33
Dec -49° 41.4'
Galaxy

This barred spiral galaxy measures 3' x 2' along PA 55 and lies close north to an 8th magnitude star.

15.5-inch f/9 Newtonian: Because it lies close to a prominent star, it should be easy to locate, but on three occasions I searched for it in vain with the 15.5-inch. (suburban skies) [AS]

NGC 4976
Bennett 58
ESO219-G029
RA 13:08:38
Dec -49° 30.3'
Galaxy

h: "bright, round, gradually brighter in the middle, 80 arcsec across."

Hartung writes: "In a fine field sown with many stars is this conspicuous somewhat elliptical nebula about 2' across with very hazy edges and rising to a small bright nucleus . . 10.5cm shows the object plainly, a fairly bright yellwo star 5' following being a guide."

Steve Coe, in “SACNEWS On-Line for May 1996”, observing with a 17.5" f/4.5 Dobsonian, notes: NGC 4976 is pretty bright, pretty large, little elongated at 100X.

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this field galaxy to the Centaurus Cluster has V = 10.66, B-V = 0.96 and U-B = 0.36. It measures 3.25 by 1.66. He remarks: "the corrected colours are uncertain because of the low latitude (+12°), but they are definitely bluer than those of normal ellipticals, and the galaxy is probably a blue dwarf."

8-inch Meade: Bright, small roundish patch of light with some haziness around. Small but bright starlike nucleus. Medium starfield surround this galaxy. (super wide angle 18mm eyepiece) [MS]

15.5-inch f/9 Newtonian: Small, round, with a very bright centre. A prominent 9th magnitude star lies due east. There also seems to be some extended nebulosity due south, slightly further away from the galaxy than the 9th magnitude star. Nothing is plotted on Uranometria or the SAO charts, so it is possibly merely a faint asterism. (suburban skies) [AS]