NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 6121 24" (8/16/12): M4 displayed several orange/red supergiants, including the brightest star (mag 12) within the central bar. This star is situated at the northern intersection point of the bar and the partial oval ring of stars that extends mostly to the east of the bar. Another orange star is on the southwest side of the core, 4' from center. A bright, orange mag 10 star is on the SSW side of the halo, 6.5' from center. A wide, bright pair of orange stars (10.8/10.9 at 17") is SE of the bar (1.8' from center). 18" (7/12/07): at 225x, the remarkable 10' central region is bounded by a nearly complete ring of stars with a prominent string (bar) of brighter stars oriented SSW-NNE nearly bisecting the central region. The center of this ridge of stars is intersected by a dense, elongated ring of stars with major axis E-W, with the majority of the stars to the east of the bar. A wide, brighter pair of stars (10.8/10.9 at 17") to the SE of the bar has an orange tint. Sprays of stars appear to emanate from the bar in all directions with a beautiful arc of stars curving along the entire north side of the core. The outer halo is relatively sparse but includes a number of brighter stars and appears to extend 15'-18' in diameter. 17.5" (7/4/86): very bright, very large, 15' diameter. Resolved into an extremely dense swarm of several hundred stars with many stars arranged in strings. Appears fully resolved at moderate power including the distinctive bar extending N-S through the center. M4 is possibly the closest GC at a distance of 5600 light-years. 13.1" (6/19/82): the core is beautifully resolved including the bar which resolves into a number of faint stars. The halo is fully resolved with many star lanes. 8": superb resolution of mag 11-13 stars.