U 444
04:12 to 05:24
-61° to -72°
Ret, Dor, Hyi, Men
Oct-Apr

THE WESTERN PORTION of the LMC dominates this map.

FEATURED OBJECTS: NGC 1559, NGC 1711, NGC 1755, NGC 1763, NGC 1770, NGC 1774, NGC 1786, NGC 1805, NGC 1814, NGC 1816, NGC 1820, NGC 1818, NGC 1829, NGC 1835, NGC 1850, NGC 1854, NGC 1856, NGC 1866.

NGC 1559
ESO084-G010
RA 04:17:36
Dec -62°47.0'
Galaxy

h: "B, L, mE, vgpmbM, 90 arcseconds long; 40 arcseconds broad; has a 14th mag star at the southern edge."; "vB, L, mE, gmbM, resolvable; 2' long, 1' broad."

G. de Vaucouleurs ("Galaxies and the Universe", Chapter 14 - Nearby Groups of Galaxies) notes that the five brightest members of the NGC 1672 Group, a part of the Dorado Cloud complex, are NGC 1559, NGC 1672, NGC 1688, NGC 1796 & NGC 1703.

Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Dorado Cluster has V = 10.76, B-V = 0.45 and U-B = -0.05. It measures 2.55 by 1.5.

ASV Journal, Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "visible in 3-inch 64x."

NGC 1711
ESO056-SC010
RA 04:50:36
Dec -69°59.1'
Globular cluster

This object has been tentatively identified as Dunlop 76, observed by James Dunlop from Paramatta, New South Wales, with a 9-inch f/12 telescope. He described it as "a pretty bright small round nebula." He observed it twice. Observed by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as a "globular cluster, B, S, R, resolvable." On a second occassion he wrote "globular cluster, B, irregularly round, gbM. Resolved into stars 14th mag, with outliers as far as 4' diameter."

Shapley and Lindsay ("A Catalogue of Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud", Irish Astronomical Journal, Vol. 6, 1963) give a diameter of 3.4' and remark "very bright, condensed centre, outer well resolved."

Van den Bergh and Hagen ("UBV photometry of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds", Astronomical Journal, Vol. 73, 1968) find that the integrated V magnitude through a 60'' diaphragm is 10.1. They classify it as an open cluster.

ASV Journal Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "small."

NGC 1755
ESO056-SC028
RA 04:55:13
Dec -68°12.2'
Globular cluster

Discovered by James Dunlop from Paramatta, New South Wales, and included as No. 167 in his catalogue of 1827. Using a 9-inch f/12 telescope, he described it as "A pretty bright round well-defined nebula, 15 arcsec diameter." Observed by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "very bright, round, gradually brighter in the middle; 60 arcseconds. The following of two in the field." The other object is NGC 1749.

NGC 1763
Bennett 27
RA 04:56:49
Dec -68°24.5'
Bright nebula

"vB, vL, irregularly extended, irresolvable but thickly dotted with many distinct stars."; "vB, vL, mE, stars seen."; "a very bright, very large nebula with stars (the chief of which in the anterior part of the nebula taken) of a crooked rounded oblong shape. A fine object."; "B; 4' long; 2.5' broad."; "vB, vL, irregular oval figure with stars in it."

According to Henize (Catalogues of Hydrogen Alpha Emission Stars and Nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds, Astrophysical Journal Supplement 2, 1956, p315), his object LH N 120-11B "Includes NGC 1763 = HD 32256 P and IC 2115 = HD 32279 Pc" This nebula measures 4.4' east-west and 3.5' north-south, has a somewhat irregular outline, is pretty elongated and shows appreciable structure. Three B-type exciting stars are involved, mags. 11.3, 11.5 and 11.8.

13.1-inch f/4.4 Newtonian: "With 37x, I can see a group of three oval nebulae in the field, north-east of a 6th magnitude star. With 98x - a very beautiful view! The field is very rich in faint stars between many nebulae [sketched]. The brightest of these is extended NE-SW, and has a straight line in its interior. Examining the Uranometria chart, I conclude this one is NGC 1763." (urban) [GG]

NGC 1763 and surroundings. 13.1-inch f/4.4 Newt., 15mm S.Plossl, 98x, 32’ fov. Gabriel Giust, Martinez, Buenos Aires, Arg. Four nebulae are shown, three of which are real: (from left to right, east to west) NGC 1776, NGC 1769 and NGC 1763. The fourth object, shown as a round nebulous patch, corresponds to a clustering of stars within the preceding part of NGC 1761.

NGC 1770
ESO056-SC035
RA 04:57:14
Dec -68°25.1'
Open cluster

Discovered by James Dunlop from Paramatta, New South Wales, and included as No. 169 in his catalogue of 1827. Using a 9-inch f/12 telescope, he described it as "A pretty bright pretty large nebula, of an irregular round figure, 5' diameter; a little brighter in the middle."

Observed by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "cluster of 6th class; pretty rich, large, irregular figure, brighter in the middle; stars of 11..18th mag; fine object." His second observation records it as "A star of 9th mag, the chief of a cluster of 6th class, 4' diameter; nebulous. The most condensed part is 1' south of the stars."

NGC 1774
ESO085-SC026
RA 04:58:05
Dec -67°14.5'
Open cluster

h: "pF, R, pgbM." On a second occassion he called it "vB, S, R, smbM, 20 arcseconds (evidently better seen.)" His third observation was recorded as "B, R or oblong, pretty evidently a double star with a nebula about it."

NGC 1786
ESO056-SC039
RA 04:59:06
Dec -67°45.0'
Globular cluster

h: "vB, R, vsmbM, 30 arcseconds." On a second occassion he called it "vB, E, S. Stellar, like a star 9th mag blurred." His third observation was recorded as "vB, S, R, svmbM, 15 arcseconds."

Van den Bergh and Hagen ("UBV photometry of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds", Astronomical Journal, Vol. 73, 1968) find that the integrated V magnitude through a 60'' diaphragm is 10.2. They remark: "Bright star superposed. Star (plus part of cluster) were measured through a 15'' diaphragm on two nights. These measurements gave V = 10.95 ... the correct cluster magnitude is V < 10.88." They classify it as a globular cluster.

A D Thackeray ("The cluster NGC 1786 in the Large Magellanic Cloud", Radcliffe Obs, Pretoria, 1956 December 6, MNASSA) wrote: "Inness examined the object on a Franklin Adams photograph and described it as a globular cluster. In the HD extension the object carries the number 268823 and it is classed as a cluster of type F8 with magnitude 9.7. Short exposures with the Radcliffe 74-inch reflector show a dense unresolved core of diameter about 13" of arc surrounded by a ring of resolved faint, reddish stars, slightly over 30" of arc in diameter. Probably the designation as a globular cluster is correct, but the most striking feature to the eye is a 10th mag star lying 4" of arc north of and 1.3" of arc preceding the cluster centre. This is fully consistent with Herschel's description 'like a 9m star blurred'. "

NGC 1805
ESO085-SC032
RA 05:02:20
Dec -66°06.7'
Open cluster

Dunlop 233: "a small round well-defined nebula, 10 or 12 arcseconds diameter."

h: "B, S, R, psbM."; "vB, vS, vsvmbM, a condensed knot of stars, two of which (one on either side) are exterior."; "B, S, R, sbM, 25 arcseconds, has two stars very near, one N.p. one S.f."; "a vS compact cluster of stars 11th mag with (?) nebulosity, 20 arcseconds."; "B, S, R, has a star 12th mag N.p."

NGC 1814
ESO085-SC036
RA 05:03:46
Dec -67°18.0'
Open cluster

h: "the southern of two nebulae in the same cluster of stars."; "very faint, round, a nebulous knot in the S.p. part of a cluster."

Shapley and Lindsay ("A Catalogue of Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud", Irish Astronomical Journal, Vol. 6, 1963) group NGC 1814, 1816 and NGC 1820 together; the grouping measuring 6.8' x 4.5'. They remark "bright scattered stars in nebulosity."

NGC 1816
ESO085-SC037
RA 05:03:50
Dec -67°15.6'
Open cluster

h: "vF, R, another nebulous knot in the cluster." This cluster is NGC 1820.

Shapley and Lindsay ("A Catalogue of Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud", Irish Astronomical Journal, Vol. 6, 1963) group NGC 1814, 1816 and NGC 1820 together; the grouping measuring 6.8' x 4.5'. They remark "bright scattered stars in nebulosity."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 9.0 mag cluster+nebulosity in the LMC.

NGC 1820
ESO085-SC039
RA 05:04:00
Dec -67°15.9'
Open cluster

h: "a pL, rich, 6th class cluster, irregular figure, in radiating streaks. Place that of a star 10th mag (one of 3 such) It is within this cluster that the two nebulae [NGC 1814 & NGC 1816]."

NGC 1818
Bennett 30, ESO085-SC040
RA 05:04:13
Dec -66°26.1'
Open cluster

Dunlop 236: "a small nebula, 20 arcseconds diameter, with a very bright point in the centre." He observed it twice.

h: "Globular cluster, B, rich, compact, vm compressed." On a second occassion he called it "vB, S, R cluster of distinct stars, mbM, 2' diameter." It was next recorded as "vB, R, gmbM, 0.5', has several small stars near it." His fourth observation was recorded as "globular cluster, vB, L, R, gpmbM, 100 arcseconds, resolved. I see the stars." His next entry reads: "vB, R, psmbM, 2' diameter, resolved. The stars well seen." The final description reads: "globular cluster, vB, S, R, vmbM, resolved, has several outliers."

ASV Journal Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "remote and small."

13.1-inch f/4.4 Newtonian: "Concentration rating I: strongly detached from the background. Compound in a medium concentration portion of a faint stars, surrounded by 3 or 4 bright stars. With averted vision I can resolve the central part with 229x [14', sketched] and there are one or two stars in the eastern edge of the cluster. The centre is circular, with the western edge more diffuse; I estimate the angular diameter as 30 arcseconds. The external portion is dominated by three stars, aligned SE-NW and 1' and 1.5' distant." (urban) [GG]

13.1-inch f/4.4 Newt., 6.4mm S.Plossl, 229x, 14’ fov. Gabriel Giust, Martinez, Buenos Aires, Arg. North up, east left.

NGC 1829
ESO056-SC057
RA 05:04:56
Dec -68°03.3'
Open cluster

h: "faint, round, 1', resolvable."

According to Henize, it measures 1.4' east-west and 1.8' north-south. It has a slightly irregular outline, is not elongated and shows some structure.

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 8.5 mag cluster+nebulosity in the LMC.

NGC 1835
ESO056-SC058
RA 05:05:12
Dec -69°24.0'
Globular cluster

h: "vB, S, R, pmbM, 40 arcseconds; the last of three."; "vB, R, pgvmbM, 60 arcseconds; the following of three."; "B, R, gmbM; 30 arcseconds; the following of three."; "B, R, gbM, 60 arcseconds." The three objects are NGC 1828, 1830 & 1835.

Van den Bergh and Hagen ("UBV photometry of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds", Astronomical Journal, Vol. 73, 1968) find that the integrated V magnitude through a 60'' diaphragm is 10.16. They classify it as a globular cluster, remarking "high surface brightness similar to that of typical galactic globular clusters."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 10.0 mag globular cluster in the LMC.

NGC 1850
ESO056-SC070
RA 05:08:44
Dec -68°45.7'
Globular cluster

John Herschel noted that this was either No. 170 or 172 in James Dunlop's 1827 catalogue; Dunlop used a 9-inch f/12 telescope, and described No. 170 as "a pretty large faint nebula, irregular figure." No. 172 was described as "a pretty bright round nebula, 40 arcseconds diameter. This is preceding and brightest of three nebulae in a line." Herschel observed it at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "pretty bright, small, round, a cluster of stars 12th mag; diam 1'." The next observation was recorded as "globular, very bright, very much compressed, 3' diameter." On a third occasion he noted it as "globular cluster, bright, round, gradually brighter in the middle, 3' diameter, resolved into stars." The fourth observation was recorded as "very bright, large, oval, resolved." The final observation was recorded as "very bright, large, slightly elongated, very much compressed in the middle, 3', resolvable."

Henize (Catalogues of Hydrogen Alpha Emission Stars and Nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds, Astrophysical Journal Supplement 2, 1956, p315), notes that his nebula LH N 120-103A is "NGC 1850. Includes HD 34026 Cl, Con; and HD 34039 Neb., Con. The compact cluster is brighter than the nebulosity but wisps of hydrogen alpha emission are unmistakbly visible along the southern edge of the cluster. He described the nebula as measuring 3.4' x 5.5' (east-west by north-south), having a quite irregular outline, considerably elongated and exhibiting marked structural detail. Shapley and Lindsay ("A Catalogue of Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud", Irish Astronomical Journal, Vol. 6, 1963) give a diameter of 3.4' and remark "bright, very condensed centre, outer resolved." Van den Bergh and Hagen ("UBV photometry of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds", Astronomical Journal, Vol. 73, 1968) find that the integrated V magnitude through a 60'' diaphragm is 9.36. They classify it as an open cluster, which lies in the emission nebula Henize N 103.

ASV Journal Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "globular associated with two open clusters, NGC 1854 & 1855."

NGC 1854
NGC 1855, ESO056-SC072
RA 05:09:19
Dec -68°50.8'
Globular cluster

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "B, S, R, 35 arcseconds." On a second occassion he called it "B, E, gbM, 2' resolvable. The second of three objects." The third observation was recorded as "globular cluster, B, S, R, 25 arcseconds, resolvable." The next record describes "a cluster nebula, S, R, pB, 40 arcseconds." The final observation reads: "F, R, gbM, 40 arcseconds."

NGC 1856
ESO056-SC073
RA 05:09:28
Dec -69°07.7'
Globular cluster

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "vB, R, gmbM, 50 arcseconds." On a second occassion he called it "B, R, gbM, 12 seconds diameter in RA in time. Has a bright star to south." His third observation was recorded as "B, pL, R, gbM, 1.5'."

NGC 1866
Bennett 33, ESO085-SC052
RA 05:13:38
Dec -65°27.9'
Open cluster

h: "vB, L, R, vgmbM, 2', resolvable."

ASV Journal Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "easy in 4-inch 64x."

Van den Bergh and Hagen ("UBV photometry of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds", Astronomical Journal, Vol. 73, 1968) find that the integrated V magnitude through a 60'' diaphragm is 9.89. They remark that through a 42'' diaphragm V = 10.26. They classify it as an open cluster.

13.1-inch f/4.4 Newtonian: "Very bright and quite large (angular diameter approximately 1') Detached from background and concentrated. All stars are approximately with same brightness, but I can't resolve them - it looks like a globular! Very rich! Slightly oval in shape, with the NE border rather more bright. It forms an equilateral triangle with a 10th magnitude star due west and an 11th mag north-west. [229x, 14', sketched] (urban) [GG]

13.1-inch f/4.4 Newt., 6.4mm S.Plossl, 229x, 14’ fov. Gabriel Giust, Martinez, Buenos Aires, Arg. North up, east left.