NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

(This is a very very beta version)

NGC4609

 

Basic Information


Location and Magnitude


Right Ascension: 12:42:19.8
Declination: -62:59:38
Constellation: CRU
Visual Magnitude: 6.9

Historic Information


Discoverer: Dunlop
Year of discovery: 1826
Discovery aperture: 9.0

Observational


Summary description: Cl, pL, pC, cE, st 10
Sub-type: II1p

Steve's Notes

===== NGC 4609 13.1" (2/20/04 - Costa Rica): at 166x, 30 stars mag 9.5-13 are resolved resolved in a 4'-5' region. Most of the stars are arranged in a curving lane ~NNW-SSE with fainter stars trailing off to the NNW. A few stars are scattered to the east of this string which is oriented roughly N-S and which bends towards the east on the north side. The cluster includes some doubles and triples with a nice mag 10.5 star pair at 15" and a distinctive triple on the south end of the lane. Situtated just 7' NW of mag 5.3 BZ Crucis = HD 110432. This star is located within the Coal Sack, 1.8 degrees east of Acrux, and is the only easy naked-eye star with the Coal Sack! The cluster resides behind the Coal Sack and is dimmed accordingly.