NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort
(This is a very very beta version)
NGC1966
Basic Information
Location and Magnitude
Right Ascension: 5:26:45.0
Declination: -68:48:54
Constellation: DOR
Visual Magnitude:
Historic Information
Discoverer: Dunlop
Year of discovery: 1826
Discovery aperture: 9.0
Observational
Summary description: pB, R, pslbM, 3rd of 4, in pL, irr Cl
Sub-type: EN+OCL
Steve's Notes
=====
NGC 1966
24" (4/7/08 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): this number refers to one of the multiple components of a large star cloud and HII complex (LH 58), ~5' in diameter. At 346x this is a small, bright glow on the NE side that surrounds three stars, elongated WNW-ESE, ~40"x15". Fainter nebulosity is attached extending to the west for 1.5' and connecting to the knot NGC 1965. A mag 9.9 star lies 1.2' S. This HII complex is located roughly 12' S of a mag 6.1 star (6.7/7.0 pair at a close 1.4").
At 200x using a UHC filter, this is a fascinating emission complex as the entire 5' region is awash in bright nebulosity and there are faint, irregular extensions beyond the main portion, particularly to the north (the outer portions form a faint bubble on images). A 10th mag star is involved, though the cluster itself (S-L 476) does not stand out significantly.
NGC 1966 is sometimes applied to the entire complex. Shapley listed the complex as the center of the OB-association Constellation II.