NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 2953 is probably the star about 6 arcmin south-southeast of NGC 2954. JH found both during one of his rare excursions north of the equator during his South African sojourn on 18 March 1836. He says of this, "Suspected nebula. (N.B. These suspicions have been so constantly verified on reobservation, that I have little hesitation in registering it as an object in the catalogue.)" He adds in his description of NGC 2954, "Another suspected 6 arcmin south, nearly on the same meridian." JH gives the position only to a full minute of time and a full minute of arc; the seconds are missing in both coordinates. The star is almost strikingly isolated -- there is no brighter star within 4-5 arcminutes of it, and no galaxy or nebula aside from N2954 nearby, either. While we can't be absolutely certain about the identity -- the approximate position erodes confidence -- the lack of any other candidate matching JH's description lends considerable credibility to the star.