NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 3115 48" (2/19/12): this showpiece galaxy was stunning at 287x and 375x, with a very high surface brightness halo, ~5.5'x2', which is punctuated by a brilliant, nearly stellar nucleus. The nucleus is centered within an extremely bright, very flattened core extending 1'-1.5'. This dazzling streak dims slightly outside the central region but stretches at least 2.5' along the major axis with no breaks or significant drops in surface brightness. The view of this thin, super-luminous central disc bisecting most of the outer, elongated halo was a unique sight. UGCA 200, a faint dwarf galaxy, lies 5.7' SE. At 375x it appeared as a faint low surface brightness patch with averted vision, slightly elongated NNW-SSE, with no central concentration. The galaxy is situated within a triangle formed by a mag 11.2 star 1.7' SE, a mag 15.3 star 1.5' NW and a mag 13.8 star 2' ENE. 18" (2/23/06): at 257x the Spindle galaxy is a gorgeous high surface brightness edge-on, ~5'x1'. Contains a small, very intense elongated core that increases to a dramatic quasi-stellar nucleus. 17.5" (1/31/87): very bright, fairly large, edge-on spindle 3:1 SW-NE, 5.5'x1.8'. Unusually high surface brightness, bright core, stellar nucleus. A mag 12.5 star is 3.2' S of center and a mag 10.5 star is 8' E. MCG -01-26-021 lies 17' SSE. 13" (3/24/84): stunning edge-on, very bright, small very bright core. 8": very bright, high surface brightness, very bright core.