NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 5055 48" (4/7/13): The "Sunflower Galaxy" is a classic example of a floccelent spiral with many short fragments forming the arms. At 375x it appeared extremely bright and large, elongated 2:1 WNW-ESE, 8'x4'. A large, intense, mottled core increases to a small, brilliant nucleus. The outer halo was resolved into several tightly wrapped spiral arcs that are separated by thin dust lanes. The arm structure is most evident along the south side of the galaxy with the easiest arm at the outer edge, particularly where it separates at the western end. The galaxy extends just beyond a mag 9.3 star (HD 115270) at the northwest edge. UGCA 342, probably a detached section of the outer halo of M63, lies 8' WSW of center and 1.2' S of a mag 10.7 star. It appeared extremely faint, fairly small, elongated 2:1 E-W, 20"x10", very low surface brightness. 17.5": very bright, large, elongated 2:1 WNW-ESE, 6'x3'. There is a faint outer extension to the WNW (outer spiral arms?) that reaches extremely close to mag 8.7 SAO 44530 just 3.7' from the center. 13" (5/26/84): very bright, elongated NNW-SSE, broad moderate concentration, stellar nucleus. The southern edge is more sharply defined while the northern side is more diffuse and extensive. A mag 8.5 star is off the NW edge.