NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 231. JH describes this as "An irregular train of stars and nebulosity in the Nubecula Minor. (Evidently that referred to in Sweep 625 [NGC 220, which see].)" Given this, I think it is very doubtful that JH was seeing just the small cluster which we have taken as his object ever since. So, bucking tradition, I have used this number to include all of the clusters in the "irregular train", NGC 220, the traditional NGC 222 (but see that for some uncertainty of its own), as well as the small one which has carried the NGC number for many years. I call that little cluster "NGC 231 core" to distinguish it from the overall "irregular train". By the way, I make the entire size of the "train" roughly 6.5 x 2.5 arcmin. It may extend further northwest and southeast, but this is its obvious size at first glance.

===== NGC 231 18" (7/10/05 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): at 228x, this SMC cluster appears as a moderately large, low surface brightness hazy region with an irregular outline, ~2' diameter. A few mag 14 stars are resolved. Last of three open clusters with compact NGC 222 2.5' SW and NGC 220 4.0' SW.