NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 3520 is another of the Leander McCormick discoveries, this one by Leavenworth. His nominal position is close to an asterism of 4 or 5 stars spread over an area of 0.8 by 0.6 arcmin, but his description (m = 15.3, D = 0.4, iR, gpmbM, sev vF sts inv) does not match the appearance of the stars. In addition, they are too bright, being 13 to 15th magnitude. A more likely match is to ESO 570- G004, an interacting double system (with two stars superposed) 1 min 35 sec east and 5 arcmin south of the nominal position. It matches Leavenworth's description pretty well. The position I give for the entry includes all four objects. Other possible matches include the double star at 11 01 55.6, -17 40 23; and NGC 3514 = ESO 570- G001 at 11 01 32, -18 30.7 (both positions B1950). These don't match the description as well as the interacting system, however, so I view them as less likely to be Leavenworth's object.

===== NGC 3520 24" (2/22/14): at 260x appeared faint to fairly faint, fairly small, oval 4:3 WSW-ENE, 20"x15", fairly low surface brightness. An extremely low surface brightness halo was not seen. This is a close double system [9" between centers] but was not resolved at 260x. The NGC identification is uncertain due to a poor position.