NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 6563. I've taken the very faint star nearest the geometric center of this planetary as its central star. There is a brighter star about 5.5 arcseconds west-northwest, presumeably in the foreground. Unfortunately, the faint star has not been picked up by any of the automated surveys, though the USNO-B1.0 may have a position near it applying to the entire nebula. I've adopted my own position, a mean from the three DSS images that show it.

===== NGC 6563 18" (7/16/07): at 323x appears as a fairly bright, sharply defined disc, slightly elongated SW-NE and perhaps 48"x40". The disc exhibits a subtle irregularity in surface brightness but there was no evident annularity. A couple of extremely faint stars occasionally sparkled over the disc, though it was difficult to tell if one was situated right at the center. 17.5" (6/28/00): at 280x this moderately bright PN appears elongated 5:4 SW-NE, ~50"x40". The surface brightness is pretty smooth and no central star was visible. A UHC filter provides a moderate contrast gain. Set is a rich star field. 13" (8/17/85): observation at 166x and 220x: fairly faint, moderately large, slightly elongated ~N-S, no annularity. Prominent using UHC filter, moderate surface brightness. Located in a rich star field 15' ESE of mag 6.2 SAO 209817. 8" (7/16/82): faint, elongated N-S, fairly small.