NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 1904 13.1" (2/19/04 - Costa Rica): excellent view at 200x. ÊContains an intense, 1' core which is mottled and partially resolved, particularly around the edges. ÊThe halo is easily resolved with several dozen brighter members peppered within the halo and around the periphery (~40 stars counted) although there are no dense knots. ÊSurrounding the inner core (nucleus) is a dense ring of high surface brightness which is very mottled. ÊIn good moments of seeing this ring breaks up into a swarm of stars. ÊLocated 40' ENE of 5th magnitude h3752, a striking mag 5.5/6.7 pair at 3". 17.5" (1/9/99): at 280x, M79 is well resolved into several dozen stars. ÊContains a sharply concentrated intense core, ~2' in diameter which is clumpy, mottled and partially resolved at its periphery. ÊThe inner part of the halo is peppered with faint stars. ÊThe background haze drops off significantly towards the outer portion of the halo but a number of brighter stars are resolved including a nice arc of stars along the following edge of the halo. ÊA evenly matched close pair is on the northeast side and a mag 12 star (a post-AGB star that belongs to the cluster) is at the north edge. ÊLocated 35' NE of naked-eye 5th magnitude h3752 (5.5/6.7 at 3"). 17.5" (12/8/90): 40-50 stars resolved mostly in the halo or at the edge of the very mottled core. ÊA string of six stars is just east of center and a long string passes through the core. ÊThe brightest mag 12.5 star is north of the core. 17.5" (12/3/88): three dozen stars resolved, mostly at the edges of the core and in the halo. 17.5" (12/19/87): at 220x, three dozen stars were resolved. 13" (1/19/85): at 360x, about 40 stars resolved in good seeing including a few over the core. 8" (9/25/81): small bright core, a few stars are resolved at the edge of the mottled core. ÊThe outer halo is well resolved in excellent conditions.