NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort
(This is a very very beta version)
NGC3480
Basic Information
Location and Magnitude
Right Ascension: 10:58:7.6
Declination: +9:16:34
Constellation: LEO
Visual Magnitude: 13.8
Historic Information
Discoverer: Common
Year of discovery: 1880
Discovery aperture: 36.0
Observational
Summary description: S, stellar
Sub-type: E1
Corwin's Notes
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NGC 3480 is probably NGC 3476. It is the 11th in Ainslie Common's list of
nebulae found by him with his 36-inch reflector in 1880. None of his
positions are very good, and this one seems to be worse than most -- there are
no galaxies within 10 arcmin of his place.
However, NGC 3476, the largest and brightest of a group, is about 12 arcmin
southwest. It would probably match Common's scanty description ("Small,
stellar"), even as seen in a fairly large telescope.
It is possible that NGC 3480 is the same galaxy as NGC 3490. But that is also
one of Common's discoveries (on the same night? he does not give us dates of
observation), and is a fainter object as well. So, I think it a somewhat less
likely candidate -- but many other observers have rediscovered the same
object, even on the same night.
Steve's Notes
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NGC 3480
See observing notes for NGC 3476. Identification uncertain.