NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== 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.

===== NGC 1304 17.5" (1/7/89): very faint, small, oval WSW-ENE, weak concentration.