NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 3551 and NGC 3555 are probably the two brightest galaxies in Abell 1177. Swift's RA's are just +1 minute of time in error. RNGC suggests that the brightest galaxy is NGC 3555. This would make N3551 one of the triple system about 2 arcmin southwest. However, these galaxies are considerably fainter than the second brightest galaxy in the cluster, which is about 3.5 arcmin to the northeast. There is also a star close to the middle of the three, and I think that the ensemble would appear as a "small nebulous cluster." Swift describes his object as "eeF, vS, R, difficult; south of two." His second he calls, "vF, R, n of 2." It may seem odd that he would call the brighter galaxy the fainter, but it has a lower surface brightness, and could well appear fainter at the eyepiece. Unfortunately, Swift's relative position between the two galaxies (10 seconds of time, and 30 seconds of arc) matches neither the RNGC interpretation, nor my own. So, the positions don't help us much in this case. We need some visual observations to check Swift's descriptions.

===== NGC 3551 17.5" (4/15/99): extremely faint, very small, possibly elongated but difficult to confirm, 20" in diameter. Could not resolve this double system with certainty (or only viewed the brighter component). Located 1.4' SSW of NGC 3555. 17.5" (3/12/94): very faint, very small, round, fairly low even surface brightness. Forms a close pair with NGC 3555 1.4' NNE. This is a double system [29" between centers] which was not resolved or only one component visible. Member of AGC 1177.