NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 5856 = ADS 9505 = WDS 15073+1827 = SAO 101379 is a double star with a separation of 0.1 arcsecond (I presume it is a spectroscopic binary; see the WDS for more). WH described the object this way: "A star 7.6m enveloped in extensive milky nebulosity. Another star 7m is perfectly free from such appearance." JH on the other hand, noted "A star of fully 6m, with a supposed nebulous appearance about it, but of whose reality I cannot satisfy myself, as it `blinks' with the star behind the wire." D'Arrest made three observations of the star, but only suspected the nebulosity twice. Finally, Bigourdan saw no nebulosity around the star on two different nights. It is hard to reconcile WH's observation with a close double star -- his description reads as if he saw a large diffused nebulosity. But there is certainly no nebulosity around the star now. The spectrum of the brighter component is that of a normal A2 V star with no emission noted. So, N5856 goes into the table as just a close double star.