NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 6717. IC 4802 (which see) is a clump of stars in this globular.

===== NGC 6717 24" (8/23/14): this unusual globular, located just 2' S of Nu2 Sgr, was viewed at 375x and 500x. The "core" appears as a fairly circular, fairly smooth glow, ~1' diameter, with a half-dozen stars superimposed. With extended viewing a very low surface, irregular halo was noticed that increased the diameter to perhaps 2.5'. At the center is in unequal pair oriented N-S (~5" separation), with the southern component, brighter and quasi-stellar. A second pair of mag 14 stars at ~5" separation is on the NE side (this is IC 4802). A mag 16 star is 10" S of this pair. Finally, another mag 14 star is at the WNW side of the core. 18" (7/15/07): at 280x, stands out prominently just 2' S of mag 5 Nu2 Sagittarii. The globular appears as an unconcentrated, low surface brightness hazy glow just 1' in diameter but with five likely field stars superimposed, giving the appearance of a small open cluster over unresolved background haze. At 393x, four out of these five mag 13 and fainter stars are grouped into two close pairs with roughly similar separations and orientations. One pair is near the center (oriented ~N-S) and another is at the NE edge oriented NNW-SSE (catalogued as IC 4802) while the 5th star is at the WNW edge. The glow of the cluster is irregularly round (slightly elongated E-W) and has a well-defined edge, unusual for a globular. 18" (7/19/04): at 225x the view is quite unusual as the glow of the globular is just 2' S of mag 5 Nu 2 Sag. The globular is just a fairly faint, round 1' glow with a low surface brightness and no evident concentration. Quite striking, though, are several superimposed stars including a close pair of mag 14 stars at the NE edge. At 434x, a star near the center is also clearly double and the halo of the globular has a ragged periphery. 17.5" (7/20/98): very unusual small, faint glow located 2' S of mag 5 Nu 2 Sagittarii! The very faint background glow is ~1' diameter but more notable are several superimposed stars. A close pair of mag 13.5 stars is at the NE edge 25" from center (this is IC 4802!) and a similar star is at the WNW edge 20" from center. A very small bright core appears on closer inspection to be a close pair of mag 12.5 stars or possibly a bright stellar core and nearby star. Other than the central "knot", the unconcentrated 1' background patch has a low surface brightness and is much smaller than the listed diameter of 4'. 13" (6/18/85): fairly faint, very small. This globular appears as a hazy patch easily visible just 1.8' S of Nu 2 = 35 Sagittarii (V = 5.0)! About half a dozen stars are either superimposed or resolved including two close pairs.