NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort
(This is a very very beta version)
NGC1304
![](Images/negative_NGC1304-ngcicproject.jpg)
Basic Information
Location and Magnitude
Right Ascension: 3:21:12.7
Declination: -4:35:1
Constellation: ERI
Visual Magnitude: 13.5
Historic Information
Discoverer: Herschel W.
Year of discovery: 1785
Discovery aperture: 18.7
Observational
Summary description: eF, vS
Sub-type: E-S0
Corwin's Notes
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NGC 1304 is also probably NGC 1307. WH's position for N1304 is pretty good,
being only 3 seconds off in RA and 2 minutes in Dec. Leavenworth's RA,
though, is a minute of time east of the galaxy, and his note mentions a nearby
star of magnitude 9.5 eight seconds east and 3 arcmin north. The star is
closer to 6.5 seconds west (not east), 3.2 arcmin north, and has a V magnitude
of about 11.8. All in all, the star is not a very good match to Leavenworth's
description. But given the size of the 26-inch at Leander McCormick, it could
well be that he simply overestimated the brightness. And there are cases
known where he confused the directions in his field (I'll see if I can find
a few others in these notes).
There is a fainter galaxy (KUG 0319-047) about 5 seconds on east and 1.5
minutes north of Leavenworth's position, but the neighboring star for that
galaxy is only four seconds west and 3.4 arcmin north. This star, too, is
considerably fainter than Leavenworth's estimate (V about 11.7).
Wolfgang originally chose this galaxy as NGC 1307. While it would probably
have been within reach of the 26-inch, I still favor equating Leavenworth's
nebula with WH's. N1304 would certainly be easier to pick up while sweeping,
and Leavenworth's neighboring star more closely matches his estimated offsets,
if not his indicated direction.
Steve's Notes
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NGC 1304
17.5" (1/7/89): very faint, small, oval WSW-ENE, weak concentration.