NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 4088 48" (4/4/11): this is a showpiece spiral in the 48-inch with the startling eyepiece view matching the detail in the DSS image. The galaxy extended 5.5'x2.0' SW-NE. Near the center is an elongated, extremely bright core. The very bright central portion extends from the core in a roughly 2'x0.5' region towards the southwest but is concave a bit, bending slightly towards the south. This feature appears similar to a slightly distorted central bar. Just south of this central bar is a dust lane extending SW to NE that parallels the bar, though it is more contrasty to the northeast of the core. The dust lane separates the bright bar feature from a very long arm that extends the entire length of the galaxy along the south side and vaguely emerges from the southwest end of the bar. This arm is clumpy with a couple of large, bright knots to the south of the core and another prominent knot towards the east end of the galaxy (1.7' NE of the core). Beyond this knot the arm quickly dims, fans out a bit and bends to the north towards a mag 13.5 star. Emerging from the northeast end of the core is a second prominent arm that immediately doubles back towards the southwest on the north side. This arm nearly parallels the central bar to the north and is separated by a less contrasty darker strip or lane. This clumpy arm contains a fairly prominent knot only 0.6' NW of the core. After this point the arm dims dramatically continuing a bit further southwest. The two main arms, along with the central bar create a squashed irregular "Z" appearance. MCG +09-20-092, which lies 5' SE in the field, appeared faint, small, round, 20" diameter, fairly low even surface brightness. 18" (3/13/10): using 280x this striking, irregular spiral extends 5:2 SW-NE, rougly 5'x2'. The surface is noticeably mottled and clumpy with a dark patch or dust lane that extends to the south of the core with a weaker darkening to the north of the core. At the northeast end of the galaxy, a portion of what appears to be a spiral arm emerges from the main body and bends to the north. A corresponding feature on the SW end of the galaxy, bending south, is much more subtle. 18" (5/3/08): at 280x appeared very bright, large, elongated 5:2 SW-NE, 4.5'x1.8', contains a bright elongated core. The galaxy is very asymmetric, with an unusually mottled or clumpy appearance and an irregular outline. At the NE end is a faint extension (this is a disrupted arm on the DSS) that juts out or dangles from the NE end of the main body and hooks slightly towards a mag 13.5 star located 3.7' NE of center. A more subtle irregular extension is at the SW end. Just east of the north side of the core the surface brightness drops, either due to a dust lane or large dust patch on the east side of the core and then brightens a bit again just following the dust patch. NGC 4085 lies 11' SSW. 17.5" (4/13/91): bright, fairly large, elongated 5:2 SW-NE, 5.0'x2.0', mottled patchy appearance, small elongated brighter core but no nucleus. A mag 15 star is 2' off the NW side. Faint spiral structure is visible with concentration. An extremely faint arm is off the NE end curving towards a mag 14.5 star to the NE 3.7' from center and a second extremely faint arm is just visible off the SW end curving to the south. Forms a pair with NGC 4085 11' SSW. 8" (3/28/81): fairly bright, elongated SW-NE, weak concentration, cigar-shaped. Forms a pair with NGC 4085 11' SSW.