NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort
(This is a very very beta version)
NGC3457
Basic Information
Location and Magnitude
Right Ascension: 10:54:48.6
Declination: +17:37:17
Constellation: LEO
Visual Magnitude: 12.7
Historic Information
Discoverer: Baily
Year of discovery: 1827
Discovery aperture: 18.3
Observational
Summary description: 2 or 3 S st and neb
Sub-type: S?
Corwin's Notes
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NGC 3457 is a bit of a puzzle. It was catalogued by JH who describes it as
"Stellar. 2 or 3 stars with a nebulous blur observed by Mr. Bailey." (Is
Mr. Bailey perhaps an observing assistant?) This is an excellent descripiton
of IC 656 (a triple star, which see), but JH's position is very close to NGC
3460 (also which see). The description is persuasive, but JH usually does
better with his positions: his declination is appropriate for either object,
but his RA is 18 seconds off the triple star. Since it is only 1.5 seconds
off the galaxy, that argues almost as persuasively for the identity with NGC
3460.
Frankly, I'm undecided on this one, so have left the number ambiguous in the
main table.
Steve's Notes
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NGC 3457
24" (2/22/14): bright, fairly small, round, 30" diameter, sharply concentrated with a very bright core that increases to a bright stellar nucleus. NGC 3461 lies 5.4' NNE. IC 655, a faint double star (actually a triple plus a dim galaxy), lies 4.4' E. NGC 3454 and 3455, an excellent pair, lies ~20' S. CGCG 095-061 (interacting pair) lies 10' NW and PGC 3090337 is 7.6' NW.
17.5" (4/18/87): fairly bright, small, round, compact, high surface brightness, bright core, stellar nucleus. NGC 3455 lies 20' SSW.