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Type: galaxy (in cluster), S...
Mag: B=13.42, V=?
Size: 2.63′ x 1.949′
PA: 103°
James Dunlop discovered this object from Paramatta, New South Wales, and included it as No. 511 in his catalogue of 1827. Using a 9-inch f/12 telescope, he described it as "a pretty large, faint nebula."
Observed by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "pB, R, gbM, 30 arcseconds; (More nebulae hereabouts.)"
The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a galaxy. Their coded description reads E,R,BM.
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.
Shobbrook (1966, Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Vol 131, p351-363) notes that this member of the Centaurus Cluster has V = 12.38, B-V = 1.15 and U-B =0.64 . It measures 0.9 by 0.8.
Photo Index by Jim Lucyk: Deep Sky #22 Sp88 p29.
B, S, R; star with atm.
Gerd Bahr-Vollrath (Noosa Heads, Queensland, Australia) observing with an 8-inch f/12 SCT, writes in The Webb Society Nebulae and Clusters Section Report No. 10, July 1992: "One of the many faint and challending galaxy clusters in Centaurus. All of these galaxies were at the threshold of visibility, and some may even have been a product of my imagination. The galaxies appeared as very indistinct diffuse glows, barely brighter than the background sky. Definitely a challenge for 20-cm telescopes."
15cm - lgr & brtr than -06: oval elong E-W, 0'.9x0'.5 w/mod sharp concen to *ar
nuc. BS, 27Feb1990, LCO.
Lacaille's catalogue
The Messier objects
Dunlop's catalogue
The Bennett objects
The Caldwell list
Named DSOs
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