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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">MONTHLY OBSERVER’S CHALLENGE<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 12pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">Las Vegas</SPAN></I></B></st1:City></st1:place><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"> Astronomical Society<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></B></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Compiled by:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Roger Ivester, Boiling Springs, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">North Carolina</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">&<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Fred Rayworth, <st1:City w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:City>, Nevada<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">With special assistance from:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 12pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Rob Lambert, Las Vegas, Nevada<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">December 2009<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in 12pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">NGC-474 Galaxy Cluster<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Introduction<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The purpose of the observer’s challenge is to encourage the pursuit of visual observing. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is open to everyone that is interested, and if you are able to contribute notes, drawings, or photographs, we will be happy to include them in our monthly summary. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Observing is not only a pleasure, but an art.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With the main focus of amateur astronomy on astrophotography, many times people tend to forget how it was in the days before cameras, clock drives, and GOTO.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Astronomy depended on what was seen through the eyepiece.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Not only did it satisfy an innate curiosity, but it allowed the first astronomers to discover the beauty and the wonderment of the night sky.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Before photography, all observations depended on what the astronomer saw in the eyepiece, and how they recorded their observations.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This was done through notes and drawings and that is the tradition we are stressing in the observers challenge.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>By combining our visual observations with our drawings, and sometimes, astrophotography (from those with the equipment and talent to do so), we get a unique understanding of what it is like to look through an eyepiece, and to see what is really there.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The hope is that you will read through these notes and become inspired to take more time at the eyepiece studying each object, and looking for those subtle details that you might never have noticed before.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Each new discovery increases one’s appreciation of the skies above us.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is our firm belief that careful observing can improve your visual acuity to a much higher level that just might allow you to add inches to your telescope.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Please consider this at your next observing session, as you can learn to make details jump out.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is also a thrill to point out details a new observer wouldn’t even know to look for in that very faint galaxy, star cluster, nebula, or planet.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">NGC-474 Galaxy Cluster<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>The NGC-474 galaxy cluster (or group) consists of three relatively bright galaxies. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They are: NGC-467 (mag. 12.9), NGC-470 (mag. 12.5), and NGC-474 (mag. 12.4). <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is a fascinating little trio of galaxies, especially because the catalogued largest one, NGC-474, does not visually appear as large as nearby NGC-470. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The reason is that NGC-474 has an outer halo that is extremely faint. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It has been seen in 18” instruments and larger as just a faint brightening of the black background.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In 1994, Roger Ivester wrote a paper concerning the apparent missing matter in NGC-474. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The text of that report is quoted as follows:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The NGC 470-474 Controversy – Missing Matter Revealed<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>by Roger Ivester<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">My observations on Thursday, December 1, 1994, included three spiral galaxies in Pisces, NGC-467, NGC-470, and NGC-474, each separated by only a few minutes of arc.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It became apparent immediately that NGC-470 was the largest and most easily seen of the group, but when I referred to the NGC 2000.0 Catalogue, it listed NGC-474 as being over twice as large as either NGC-470 or NGC-467.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At this point, I concluded that NGC-474 must have a halo that could not be seen visually, or at least not from my back yard.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The next day I located a photo of this group, but it did not show a faint outer arm, nor was any halo apparent.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The view appeared very similar to what I had seen through my telescope. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I decided that another observation was needed, and made a note in my log to “view at next session.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">On Monday, December 16, I went to a dark site in the South Mountains about 30 minutes north of my home in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This would prove to be the perfect site for another observation, notes and a sketch of these three galaxies. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I saw NGC-474 as round, diffuse and with a brighter nucleus. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>NGC-470, appeared elongated, diffuse, and twice as large as NGC-474.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Next, NGC-467 appeared round, faint halo, with a brighter nucleus, and situated a few minutes N of an 8th magnitude star.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It was almost the same apparent size as NGC-474.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All three galaxies were very easy to locate, relatively bright, and showed excellent contrast. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Again I was bothered concerning the size listing of NGC-474.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My sources indicated that it was the largest of these galaxies, but NGC-470 was clearly the largest in my telescope and in a photo that I had looked at earlier. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Could there be an error in the 7.9” size I read from the NGC 2000 Catalogue, an error which was perpetuated by the other sources?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A table of diameters (in arc minutes) from different sources is listed below.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Source</SPAN></B><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 6"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">NGC-470</B><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">NGC-474</B><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">NGC 2000.0<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 5"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>3.0<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>7.9<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Burnham’s Celestial Handbook<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>1.7 x 1.1<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>0.4 x 0.4<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">T. Lorenzin’s 1000+<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 5"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>3.2<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>8<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The Observer’s Guide, Nov/Dec 1991<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 3"> </SPAN>3.0 x 2.0<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>7.9 x 7.2<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000.0<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>3.0 x 1.8<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>10.0 x 9.2<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Nearby Galaxies Catalog<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 5"> </SPAN>3.2<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>11.6<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">D. Eicher’s Deep Sky Observing w/Small Telescopes<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>1.7 x 1.1<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>0.4 x 0.4<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Astronomy Magazine, January 1993<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 4"> </SPAN>3.0 x 2.0<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>7.9 x 7.2<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 6pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Luginbuhl & Skiff, Observing Handbook & Catalog<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>3.0 x 2.0<SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>7.9 x 7.2<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">I expressed my concern to Tom English, Professor of Astronomy and Physics at Gardner-Webb University, who promptly gathered all available reference material on NGC 474 from his extensive astronomy library at the University.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Tom called me on Saturday afternoon, January 7, and invited me to research the data.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>While I was busy checking each source, Tom was checking<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>the Sky & Telescope Cumulative index to locate past issues with information on NGC-474.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Tom left the lab and returned with a March 1988 issue of Sky & Telescope with a research note on the galaxy and an accompanying photo.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>My quest was about to end.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>On page 244, there was the photo that would resolve the problem.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It showed both NGC-470 and NGC-474 overexposed, with a very faint halo surrounding the latter.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A quick measurement of each galaxy in the photo showed that, with the halo considered, NGC-474 is indeed about 2 ½ times the size of NGC-470, consistent with the NGC 2000 listings.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">A closer look at the list of sources gives an indication that this pair has been a source of confusion to many observers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It also reveals that cataloged information tends to propagate from one publication to the next.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We all use various catalogs for background information (such as size and magnitude) as we set our observing agendas, and too often we do not follow up on this information by making actual measurements ourselves.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Note that five of the sources listed have the same 3.0 and 7.9 arc minute sizes for NGC-470 and NGC-474, respectively.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Burnham and Eicher list identical measurements in their guides as well, but with NGC-470 attributed as the larger galaxy, just as I had noted.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In their observing notes, Luginbuhl and Skiff indicate that NGC-470 appears closer to 2’ x 1’, with NGC-474 somewhat smaller.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In the Nov/Dec issue of The Observer’s Guide, I saw my frustration mirrored in the statement that NGC-474 “is much smaller than its catalog size.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Apparently, its outer halo is so faint that it is not visible.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: right; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal align=right><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Roger Ivester 1994<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Below are the actual entries from Burnham and Skiff & Luginbuhl.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Burnham’s Celestial Handbook: Robert Burnham, Jr.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">NGC-470: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Pretty bright, pretty large, little elongated. Pair with NGC-474.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">NGC-474: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Pretty bright, small, round, suddenly much brighter middle.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Observing Handbook and Catalogue Of Deep-Sky Objects:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Skiff and Luginbuhl.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">NGC-467: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“This galaxy is moderately faint in 25cm (10”). <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The halo is circular about 1’ across, and brightens to a core that shows a few stellarings at 200X. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A mag. 13.5 star is visible just over 2’ SW; another slightly fainter star lies closer to the W.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">NGC-470: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“This galaxy appears as a round, diffuse blob in 25cm, about 1.5’ diameter. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The core is brighter and occasionally shows a faint stellaring in its center. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Two faint stars separated by about 40” lie 2.2’ S, and another star is visible 1.7’ N. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In 30cm (12”), the smoothly textured halo is elongated in pa 150º, extending to about 2’ X 1’ and showing a moderate central concentration. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A third faint star is visible 2’ S.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">NGC-474: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“In 25cm this galaxy appears slightly brighter but a little smaller than NGC-470. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is diffuse and has a very small nucleus. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With 30cm, it has a bright nonstellar nucleus, and a low surface brightness halo extending to 1.2’ diameter.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Observations/Drawings/Photos<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Roger Ivester (see <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Rogers Pictures 003.jpg</I>):</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"> <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Observer from North Carolina<o:p></o:p></SPAN></STRONG></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=Standard><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The NGC-474 compact galaxy cluster located in the constellation of Pisces is a most interesting group consisting of galaxies NGC-467, NGC-470 and NGC-474. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All three galaxies will fit easily within a 1/2° field of view. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They are positioned mostly E to SW.</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=Standard><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The descriptions and sketch were all made using a 10-inch reflector with 114X with a 0.58° field of view (see <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Rogers NGC-470 Galaxy Cluster.jpg</I>).</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=Standard><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The most western galaxy is NGC-467 which appears round with greater overall concentration as compared to the other galaxies. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is situated about 4 minutes west of an 8th mag. star. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The outer halo is very faint and round with a brighter middle.</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=Standard><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">NGC-470 is located between NGC-467 and NGC-474. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The texture is very even and smooth with a very subtle brightening in the central region. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It appears elongated with a N-S orientation. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This galaxy clearly appears as the largest of the group.</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=Standard><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">NGC-474 is visually the smallest member of the cluster. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The halo is very faint and diffuse with a very bright, almost stellar nucleus. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The galaxy appears mostly round.</FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Fred Rayworth (see <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Fred At Sawmill.jpg</I>):</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Observer from Nevada<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>He had the opportunity to check this galaxy trio out for the second time on 21 November, 2009. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Sky conditions were not ideal, but improved as the night wore on. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With a quarter moon in the sky, he was surprised at how much it lit up the sky on what he thought was a clear night. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However, as the moon sank into the Las Vegas skyglow, the sky became darker and darker and he had no trouble finding this fine group.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Using his Meade 16” f/4.5 LightBridge along with a 26mm Orion Q-70 (70X) and a Hyperion 17mm (108X), he made the following observations:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">NGC-474: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Supposed to be the largest of the trio of NGC-467 and NGC-470, however it didn't look that way. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>NGC-474 was the second brightest but looked smaller than NGC-470. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>May have been a halo beyond the core, but couldn't tell for sure.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">NGC-470: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Nice almost round glow, with the hint of an oval shape. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Brightest of the trio with NGC-467 and NGC-474. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At 108X, it was still a soft almost round glow. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>No details.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">NGC-467: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Soft round glow with almost a stellar core. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Easy to see, but no detail, even at 108X (see <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Freds NGC-474 Group.jpg</I>).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Rob Lambert:</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Observer from Nevada<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This month's objects were even a greater challenge detail-wise for him than was last month’s NGC-891, even with the Mallincam. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All three of the galaxies were small and dim compared to some of the objects he’s recently observed. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They are part of the ARP-227 galaxy group.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Start with a general overview of all three galaxies as seen in the image below (see <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Robs Pisces Trio.jpg</I>). <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>North is toward the bottom center of the image with west being to the right. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Magnification is approximately 32X. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At first look, all three galaxies aren't much more than fuzzy stars, with NGC-470 appearing to be the largest of the three. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A closer look at the cores of the three galaxies leads one to believe something different than what is initially seen, especially for NGC-474. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>NGC-474 has a much brighter, larger, and more easily defined core, hinting that it is much larger than either of the other two. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Regarding their shape, the halos of NGC-467 (see<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> Robs NGC-467.jpg</I>) and NGC-474 appear to be round while NGC-470 is elongated from northwest to southeast. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If one looks closely at NGC-474; however, what appears to be faint, disconnected spiral arms on the NE and SW sides of the galaxy are seen. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>These disjointed limbs are what identify NGC-474 a shell galaxy (see <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Robs NGC-474-470.jpg</I>).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Dr. James Dire (see <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">James Dire.jpg</I>)</SPAN></B><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Observer from North Carolina<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Attached is a picture of the galaxy group containing NGC-467, NGC-470 and NGC-474 (see <EM>Jims NGC-470-474 Legend.jpg</EM>).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The picture is a combination of 22 ten-minute exposures with his 190mm (7.5”) Mak-Newt at f/5.3 using his SBIG ST-2000XCM CCD camera.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In addition to these three galaxies, he has labeled the brightest star in the field of view and 5 nearby, faint 16-17th magnitude galaxies.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">The aperture was too small and the sky at his location too bright to do NG- 467, NGC-470 and NGC-474 any justice.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Plus, the seeing would need to be sub-arcsecond to pick up the detail needed in these galaxies. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>NGC-467 and NGC-470 do not have much spiral structure but both have extensive halos, which he did not pick up.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">References<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">(Submitted by Fred Rayworth)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Burnham’s Celestial Handbook: <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></I><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Robert Burnham, Jr.<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p></o:p></I></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 6pt 0in" class=MsoPlainText><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Observing Handbook and Catalogue Of Deep-Sky Objects:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Skiff and Luginbuhl<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><o:p></o:p></I></SPAN></P> <br /><hr />Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft. <a href='http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/171222986/direct/01/' target='_new'>Get it now.</a></body>
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