NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 1579 18" (2/16/07): fairly bright reflection nebula at 220x, viewed unfiltered. The brightest portion is a fairly striking, roundish patch, ~1.5 diameter in the center of a triangular group of 6 stars. A mag 11.5 star lies 2' N with a faint star close south. Symmetrically placed on the opposite side of the central region is a pair of mag 13 stars. A wide pair of mag 12 stars are off the NE side. Faint, irregular haze spreads out from the bright patch towards the SW, extending due west to due south and increasing the size to 6'-7', though the borders of the fainter nebosity are not well defined. There was only a hint of the dust structure visible on images. 17.5" (3/2/02): this bright reflection nebula appears nearly 5' in diameter with a prominent, slightly elongated 1.5' central region. The haze is irregular extending outward from this knot with the borders seemingly marked by a half-dozen stars situated around the periphery including a mag 11 star 2' N, a wide pair of mag 11.5-12 stars 1.6' and 2.3' NE and a pair of mag 13 stars ~2.5' S. Nebulosity extends mostly west and southwest of the central mass with a very faint piece to the south. 13" (1/18/85): fairly bright, circular, fairly small, appears brightest at the following edge. Forms an equilateral triangle with two mag 11.5-12 stars off the north and NE edges both 2' from center. 8" (12/6/80): faint nebulosity, diffuse.