NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 5316 18" (7/5/05 - Magellan Observatory, Australia): at 171x (12mm Nagler), over three dozen stars are visible in a 10'x6' bright triangular group. A number of mag 10 and 11 stars define the periphery and make the cluster appear well-detached although a number of additional mag 9 and 10 adorn a glittering field. Extending off the north side and heading NW is a 6' string of 11th-12th magnitude stars ending at a mag 10.8 star 7' NW of the center of the cluster. The chain then abruptly changes direction and continues SW, terminating at mag 8.5 HD 120631 located 10' W of the center of the cluster. The two intersecting strings are distinctive but appear to be random asterisms. 13.1" (2/19/04 - Costa Rica): this fairly bright open cluster consists of 35-40 stars in a 10' triangular group. Includes a number of brighter mag 9.5-12 stars. Off the NE side is a neat string of stars oriented WNW-ESE.