U 415
22:48 to 23:36
-39° to -50°
Gru, Phe, Scl
Aug-Dec

TWO SOUTHERN BIRDS - Grus the Crane and the Phoenix - rub wings on this map, which is dotted with galaxies (dominated by the IC 1459 Grus Group).

Members of the IC 1459 Grus Group include NGC 7410, NGC 7412, NGC 7418, NGC 7421, NGC 7424, NGC 7496, NGC 7531, NGC 7552, NGC 7582, NGC 7590, NGC 7599, IC 1459, IC 5267, IC 5269 & IC 5273.

FEATURED OBJECTS: NGC 7404, NGC 7410, NGC 7412, IC 5267A, IC 5267B, IC 5267, NGC 7424, NGC 7456, NGC 7462, NGC 7476, NGC 7496, NGC 7531, NGC 7552, NGC 7582, NGC 7590, IC 5308, NGC 7599, NGC 7632, IC 5325, IC 5328.

NGC 7404
MCG-07-47-001
RA 22:54:18
Dec -39° 19.0'
Galaxy

h: "vF, S, R, 15 arcseconds."

NGC 7410
MCG-07-47-002
RA 22:55:00
Dec -39° 41.0'
Galaxy

James Dunlop discovered this object from Paramatta, New South Wales, and included it as No. 518 in his catalogue of 1827. Using a 9-inch f/12 telescope, he described it as "a very faint nebula extended preceding and following, about 1.5' long and 20 or 25 arcseconds broad; a little brighter inthe middle, or rather neaer the N.p. extremity; the S.f. extremity is very ill defined."

h: "a long pB ray, 4' long, psvmbM, elongated in pos 44.7 degrees." On a second occassion he called it "B, pL, vmE in pos 41.9 degrees, pgmbM, 3' long, 20 arcseconds broad, has a star 11m, 2' dist pos from nucleus 12.9 degrees.."

Hartung notes: “In a rather barren field this is a large elongated nebula, 5’ x 0.8’ in pa 45 deg, with pointed ends and rising much to a large elliptical centre; it is a conspicuous object . . 10.5cm shows its form.”

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Pretty bright, pretty large, much brighter in the middle with a bright nucleus at 165X. This lens-shaped galaxy is elongated 2.5 X 1 in PA 45.”

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 10.87, B-V = 0.93 and U-B = 0.52. It measures 3.6 by 1.2.

NGC 7412
MCG-07-47-004
RA 22:55:45
Dec -42° 39.0'
Galaxy

h: "eF, vL, 3' diam at least, it is S.p. a star 7m, 8' distant."

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 11.81, B-V = 0.58 and U-B = 0.05. It measures 3.2 by 2.8.

IC 5267A
MCG-07-47-005, ESO290-G026
RA 22:55:54
Dec -43° 26.1'
Galaxy

IC 5267B
MCG-07-47-006
RA 22:56:55
Dec -43° 45.7'
Galaxy

IC 5267
MCG-07-47-007
RA 22:57:15
Dec -43° 23.9'
Galaxy

This galaxy was discovered by Lewis Swift in 1897 using the 16-inch refractor at the Lowe Observatory, California. He described it as "pretty bright, small, round, much brighter towards the middle".

W.H. Finlay confirmed it using the 6-inch refractor at the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope. This 11.4 mag galaxy measures 45 x 2.5' in PA 140 .

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 11.02, B-V = 0.94 and U-B = 0.44. It measures 4.4 by 3.1.

NGC 7424
MCG-07-47-008
RA 22:57:18
Dec -41° 04.9'
Galaxy

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "vF, lE, 45 arcseconds." On a second occassion he called it "F, vL, R, vgmbM, 3' diam."

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 12.09, B-V = 0.61 and U-B = 0.01. It measures 8.8 by 7.0.

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Very faint, large, round and little brighter in the middle at 100X. This object is low surface brightness and demands dark skies and a clear night.”

NGC 7456
ESO346-G026, MCG-07-47-011
RA 23:02:09
Dec -39° 34.1'
Galaxy

John Herschel recorded it as "F, L, mE, vglbM, pos of elongation 33.8 degrees, 4' long, 1' broad; loses itself imperceptibly." On a second occassion he called it "eF, vL, vlbM, 6' long, 3' broad."

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Very faint, large, much elongated (3 X 1) in PA 30 and gradually brighter in the middle at 100X.”

NGC 7462
ESO346-G028, MCG-07-47-013
RA 23:02:46
Dec -40° 50.0'
Galaxy

h: "vF, vmE, in pos about 5 degrees; 100 arcseconds long." On a second occassion he called it "pB, S, vmE, has a star 11m preceding its extremity."

NGC 7476
MCG-07-47-015
RA 23:05:09
Dec -43° 05.8'
Galaxy

h: "pF, S, R, 12 arcseconds, makes an obtuse-angled triangle with 2 stars 7m at some distance." On a second occassion he called it "eF, R, 20 arcseconds, makes a triangle with two stars 7m."

NGC 7496
MCG-07-47-020
RA 23:09:47
Dec -43° 25.7'
Galaxy

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "F, pL, lE, glbM, near 2 stars." On a second occassion he called it "B, L, lE, vgmbM, to a star 13m."

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 11.77, B-V = 0.58 and U-B = 0.00. It measures 2.7 by 2.1.

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Very faint, pretty large, round and very little brighter in the middle at 100X.”

NGC 7531
MCG-07-47-025
RA 23:14:46
Dec -43° 35.6'
Galaxy

h: "pB, S, lE, pgmbM."

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 11.61, B-V = 0.76 and U-B = 0.02. It measures 4.9 by 2.6.

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Pretty faint, pretty small, somewhat elongated (1.5 X 1) in PA 0 and much brighter in the middle at 100X.”

NGC 7552
MCG-07-47-028
RA 23:16:09
Dec -42° 34.6'
Galaxy

A member of the Grus Quartet (NGC 7552, NGC 7582, NGC 7590, NGC 7599)

James Dunlop discovered this object from Paramatta, New South Wales, and included it as No. 475 in his catalogue of 1827. Using a 9-inch f/12 telescope, he described it as "a small faint nebula, rather elongated in the parallel of the equator, about 30 arcseconds broad, and 40 arcseconds long; there is a pretty bright point situated near the centre of the nebula: a small star precedes it."

h: "B, S, mE, nearly in parallel; vsbM to a star 13m."

Hartung notes: “it is fairly bright and lenticular, about 2.2’ x 0.8’ in pa 90 deg, with a small concentrated nucleus and two stars near south and west. 10.5cm shows only the nucleus and some faint haze but 15cm elongates it.”

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 10.92, B-V = 0.72 and U-B = 0.13. It measures 2.6 by 1.8. It is listed in the "Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies" as having an outer ring of 3.13 arcminute diameter.

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Pretty bright, pretty large, much brighter in the middle, and much elongated (2.5 X 1) in PA 90 at 100X. Raising the power to 165X will show off a bright, stellar nucleus in moments of good seeing.”

NGC 7582
MCG-07-47-029
RA 23:18:26
Dec -42° 21.6'
Galaxy

A member of the Grus Quartet (NGC 7552, NGC 7582, NGC 7590, NGC 7599)

h: "pB, L, pmE, gbM."

Hartung notes: “This striking field contains in an area about 16’ across three fairly bright spindles differently orientated, all visible with 10.5cm. In order of RA: 4’x1’ pa 150 deg; 2’ x 0.7’ pa 45 deg; 4’ x 2’ pa 50 deg. The second is the brightest, and the third the faintest and most diffuse.”

William P. Clarke (San Diego, California, USA) writes in the The Webb Society Nebulae and Clusters Section Report No. 11, January 1993: "Closely spaced group of three galaxies [NGC 7582, 7590 & NGC 7599]. NGC 7582 is extended N.p.-S.f. and does not have a distinct nucleus. The NGC 7590-9 pair are N.f. NGC 7582. They are both extended Sp-Nf with NGC 7590 half the size of NGC 7599. There is a star between the two and another in the north end of NGC 7590. (10-inch Newtonian, x80)."

Tom Lorenzin, in the e-version of "1000+ The Amateur Astronomers' Field Guide to Deep Sky Observing", notes: “12.0M; 4'x 2' extent; axis oriented NNW-SSE; no obs. data yet; look for SP GAL N7590 (12.5M; 2'x 1' extent) 10' to NE with fairly bright star on NE tip; look for ENE-WSW-oriented SP GAL N7599 (12M; 3'x 1' extent) 4' further E and a bit S with small stars involved; all should make fine trio in medium-x field; see photo Shapgal-202.”

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Pretty faint, large, elongated 2.5 X 1 in PA 45 and not much brighter in the middle at 100X. Forms a nice triple galaxy with NGCs 7590 and 7599.”

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 11.15, B-V = 0.81 and U-B = 0.22. It measures 4.4 by 1.6. Listed in the "Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies" as having an outer ring of 4.25 arcminute diameter.

NGC 7590
MCG-07-47-030
RA 23:18:55
Dec -42° 13.6'
Galaxy

A member of the Grus Quartet (NGC 7552, NGC 7582, NGC 7590, NGC 7599)

James Dunlop discovered this object from Paramatta, New South Wales, and included it as No. 477 in his catalogue of 1827. Using a 9-inch f/12 telescope, he described it as "two very small roudn nebulae, nearly the same RA, and differing about 1' in polar distance." The other object is NGC 7599.

h: "pB, pmE, gbM, 90 arcseconds, the preceding of two."

Hartung notes: “This striking field contains in an area about 16’ across three fairly bright spindles differently orientated, all visible with 10.5cm. In order of RA: 4’x1’ pa 150 deg; 2’ x 0.7’ pa 45 deg; 4’ x 2’ pa 50 deg. The second is the brightest, and the third the faintest and most diffuse.”

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 11.58, B-V = 0.61 and U-B = 0.05. It measures 2.25 by 0.8.

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Pretty faint, pretty large, elongated 2 X 1 in PA 0, has an 11th mag star on northern tip at 100X.”

IC 5308

RA 23:19:16
Dec -42° 16.0'
Galaxy

NGC 7599
MCG-07-47-033
RA 23:19:23
Dec -42° 15.6'
Galaxy

A member of the Grus Quartet (NGC 7552, NGC 7582, NGC 7590, NGC 7599)

James Dunlop discovered this object from Paramatta, New South Wales, and included it as No. 477 in his catalogue of 1827. Using a 9-inch f/12 telescope, he described it as "two very small round nebulae, nearly the same RA, and differing about 1' in polar distance." The other object is NGC 7590.

h: "F, pmE, gbM, 3'; the following of two."

Hartung notes: “This striking field contains in an area about 16’ across three fairly bright spindles differently orientated, all visible with 10.5cm. In order of RA: 4’x1’ pa 150 deg; 2’ x 0.7’ pa 45 deg; 4’ x 2’ pa 50 deg. The second is the brightest, and the third the faintest and most diffuse.”

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Grus Cluster has V = 11.80, B-V = 0.65 and U-B = -0.01. It measures 3.75 by 1.1. He notes: "It may clearly be seen that NGC 7599 has no significant nucleus. For this object, the brighter central region was offset by about 5 arcseconds to exclude a bright star from the large diaphragm measures."

Steve Coe, observing with a 13” f/5.6, notes: “Faint, pretty large, elongated 2 X 1 in PA 110 at 100X.”

NGC 7632
MCG-07-47-035
RA 23:22:02
Dec -42° 28.5'
Galaxy

h: "pB, S, R, psbM, 20 arcseconds." On a second occassion he called it "vF, R, glbM, 20 arcseconds."

IC 5325
MCG-07-48-004
RA 23:28:42
Dec -41° 20.5'
Galaxy

IC 5328
ESO291-G029
RA 23:33:16
Dec -45° 01.0'
Galaxy