NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 3132 13.1" (2/17/04 - Costa Rica): at 40¡ elevation in Costa Rica along the Gulf of Nicoya , NGC 3132 was quite beautiful at 200x and 260x. The 10th magnitude "central star" (an unseen 16th mag companion at 1.65" separation is the true ionizing star) is embedded in the center of a very bright, elongated annulus with a darker center and interesting outer ring elongated NW-SE. The oval ring is relatively narrow with a brighter outer rim. Surrounding the ring is a faint, thin outer shell. The ring is slightly offset in orientation to the major axis of the planetary giving a complex multi-ring appearance. 17.5" (3/28/87): very bright, moderately large, oval. A dark ring surrounds the bright mag 10 central star. Viewed at only 10¡-11¡ elevation. 13" (2/23/85): darker around the central star at high power. 8" (3/28/81): mag 9 central star surrounded by a fairly bright, moderately large disc, striking.