NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 2537 48" (4/15/10): At 624x, the view of the highly irregular "Bear-paw" galaxy (Arp 6) was fascinating. The galaxy is fairly large, roundish, 1.5' diameter and is broken up into bright knots and arcs that border a large curving dust lane that winds through the glow and traces out a dark "U" inside the galaxy. The main bright regions form the three "toes" of the Bear-paw. On the NW side, the first "toe" consists of the brightest knot, ~0.3' diameter, with a second smaller and fainter knot close south. The combined glow from this "toe" is ~30". In the center is a brighter core, ~0.3' diameter, which is nearly isolated by the obscuring dust, but the glow extends to the south end of the galaxy where it brightens slightly at the rim, forming the middle toe. The third toe is on the following side of the galaxy (~0.3' diameter) and is less prominent, though slightly brighter due east of center. The curving "U"-shaped dust channel enters the galaxy both west and east of the middle toe in two parallel lanes and curves around the core, forming a noticeable arc on the north side of the core. 17.5" (3/23/85): moderately bright, fairly small, round. The "Bear-paw" galaxy has an unusual appearance with a dark lane or vacuity in the center. A small slightly brighter knot is visible along the NW edge. A mag 11 star is 2' SE. Located 6.5' E of mag 8.4 SAO 42225. IC 2233, a faint edge-on, lies 18' SE. Forms a pair with NGC 2537A = MCG +08-15-051 4.5' E (not seen with this scope). 13" (2/25/84): fairly faint, small, round, no structure.