NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 188 17.5" (12/26/00): At 100x, ~75 stars within 10'-12', roundish group. The cluster is fairly rich but unconcentrated with a noticeable void of stars near in the center and a somewhat ill-defined boundary. The stars appear to be layered with at least a dozen mag 12-13 stars superimposed on a much richer carpet of mag 14-15 stars over unresolved haze. At 220x, some additional very faint stars are visible bringing the total up to ~85. Two mag 9.5-10 field stars are just off the west edge and two mag 8.5-9 stars are beyond the eastern border. This is one of the older known open clusters with an age of ~6.3 billion years. 13" (8/24/84): about 50 stars at 62x with several mag 7-9 stars in field, appears fully resolved. 8": large cluster, many faint stars, not rich, blank areas near center.