NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 4676 = IC 819 and IC 820. WH has his object "much extended [in the] meridian", while JH says "query if not bicentral". Both are correct. When Rudolf Spitaler found the pair again in 1892, he saw and measured both galaxies, so they have two IC numbers rather than just one as the NGC does. Unfortunately, Spitaler has the pair only a minute-plus of time preceding his comparison star -- the actual offsets are 2 minutes-plus. The identity, however, is obvious. It was first suggested by Reinmuth, then was picked up for RC1 and MCG.

===== NGC 4676 48" (4/6/13): fascinating interacting pair consisting of IC 819 (NNW component) and IC 820 (slightly brighter SSE component), separated by 40" between centers. At 375x and 488x in soft seeing, IC 819 appeared fairly bright, small, elongated 3:2 N-S, 24"x16", high surface brightness. IC 820 was bright, fairly small, elongated 3:2 SW-NE, 30"x20", high surface brightness, increased to a small, very bright nucleus. The two galaxies are connected or surrounded by a low surface brightness bridge. IC 819 has a remarkable bright, long thin tidal tail shooting due north! The tail has a high surface brightness (brightest feature of this type I've observed in any galaxy) and extends roughly 80"x8", dimming at the north end and ending just east of a mag 17.3 star. IC 820 has a small, low surface brightness halo on its south side, but its tail to the south was not clearly resolved. 17.5": the northwest member (IC 819) of the interacting pair "The Mice" appeared faint, small, low surface brightness, elongated N-S. NGC 4676B = IC 820, the southeast member of the pair was slightly brighter and appeared faint, small, round with a small bright core. The thin "tails" of the the Mice extending north and south were not seen.