NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 3631. See NGC 3594.

===== NGC 3631 48" (4/4/11): beautiful face-on spiral with two long, winding arms and branching extensions! This very bright galaxy is sharply concentrated with an intensely bright small core that increases to an extremely bright stellar nucleus. A prominent patchy arm is attached on the west side of the core and rotates counterclockwise to the north, then sharply bends back to the east, extending to the east end of the 4' diameter galaxy. What appears to be an offshoot arm turns counterclockwise on the east side and continues all the way to the south end of the galaxy. The second arm is attached on the southeast end of the core and sweeps around the south side towards the west and then continues to the northwest end of the galaxy. An offshoot or another patchy arm continues east near the edge of the northern halo. The two main arms are nearly connected by a slightly brighter region on the south side. 17.5" (4/1/95): bright, large, round, 3.5' diameter. Sharp concentration with a prominent core which brightens to a nearly stellar nucleus. The outer halo fades into the background and shows a hint of the spiral arm structure. Two mag 12-13 stars are 3.4' NE and 3.3' WNW of center.