NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 6514. This is the main body of the Trifid Nebula, M 20. The position I've adopted is (following JH) for the triple star near the center of the nebula. Lauberts, in ESO-B, has a position a few arcminutes to the northeast, to include the fainter extensions in that direction. Also see NGC 6533.

===== NGC 6514 18" (8/12/10): the emission component of M20 was sketched and observed carefully at 175x. At the intersection of the dark lanes is the multiple central star HN 40 with a mag 7.6/10.4 pair at 6" and a tight mag 8.7/10.5 pair at 2.3", with the two pairs are separated by 11". Four lanes (B85) emanate from the bright central hub. A narrow lane starts NW of the multiple star and heads 2.5' due N, where it stops at a mag 10 star. Near the base of this lane another branch heads west to the edge of the nebula. Another lane heads SSE for ~2.5', tapering at the end. A prominent lane shoots 3.5' NE and has a few short branches, including one just NE of the central stars. This lane is bordered by a couple of mag 10.5-11 stars on its south edge. There is an extension at the NE end that bends to the north and exits the main nebulosity and merging with a dusty region just SE the reflection component to the north. A mag 9.4 star is at the north edge of the main emission component. The blue reflection component surrounds mag 7.3 HD 164514 and extends ~6' with an irregular structure. 13.1" (7/16/82): bright, fairly large, contains three inky black dark lanes (B85) with sharp edges. Structure is visible along the dark lanes and in the center. The prominent central star is a quadruple (4th star difficult) consisting of a mag 7.6/10.4 pair at 6" and a mag 8.7/10.5 pair at 2.3", the brighter stars separated by 11". The NW lane is wider and fainter than the other two lanes. A round, bluish reflection nebula is separated, but very close north. The view improves using a UHC filter. 8": the famous rift structure is fairly prominent with a triple star at the center. The NW rift is more subdued. An easily visible reflection nebula is close north. 15x50 IS binoculars: visible as a small, faint glow surrounding a the central "star".