NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort
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NGC4368
Basic Information
Location and Magnitude
Right Ascension: 12:23:6.6
Declination: +10:37:18
Constellation: VIR
Visual Magnitude: 13.3
Historic Information
Discoverer: Herschel W.
Year of discovery: 1784
Discovery aperture: 18.7
Observational
Summary description: vF, vS
Sub-type: E?
Corwin's Notes
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NGC 4368 is probably NGC 4325. Dreyer notes that WH's "... RA is possibly
1 min too great (see under II 64 [= N4352]). Not found by Bigourdan." The
note for N4352 reads, "RA is 1 min too great. The same is the case with
several other nebulae observed this night (Sw 174, March 15, 1784) ..."
The actual differences between WH's RA's and the true RA's varies from about
40 sec to well over a minute for the seven objects mentioned by Dreyer (N3810,
N4067, N4294, N4313, N4352, N4371, and N4429). If N4368 is indeed N4325
(discovered by d'A), its difference is 1 min 28 sec, not an unreasonable value
considering the other errors. The declination is 1.5 arcmin different, well
within WH's usual observing errors.
I can only speculate about the source of WH's error, since it does not affect
every object observed in Sweep 174. Thus, it could be a correction due to
a mistimed comparison star -- but different affected objects have different
comparison stars. Or it could be that WH forgot to make the correction to
the center of the field for the objects -- but since his field was only 15
arcmin across, the largest correction could only be half that value, or a bit
less than 30 seconds of time at a declination of +10 deg. Also, this is a
necessary correction for every object which does not sweep across the field
center -- which is almost every object observed. I can't see WH forgetting
such an obvious correction for a few objects in a sweep, but not for most
others.
Whatever caused the errors, the fact that they exist is clear, and N4368 seems
to be affected.
Finally, there is also the faint possibility that N4368 is N4320 (also found
by d'A). However, that is fainter and smaller than N4325, and WH's Dec would
be off by 3.0 arcmin rather than the 1.5 arcmin to N4325. The RA would also
be further off, too, 1 min 40 sec, so overall, I do not think this is a strong
possibility.
Steve's Notes
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NGC 4368
See observing notes for NGC 4325.