NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 6997 is a real cluster immersed in the "East Coast" part of the North America Nebula. Several of the cluster catalogues have confused it with NGC 6996, but the GC/NGC position, from a single observation by WH, is pretty good. As with NGC 6996, I (1970) and Brent (1993) have further discussions and observations. Reinmuth and Bigourdan pretty much agree with these assessments of the three clusters (N6989, N6996, and N6997) involved in the North America Nebula. And they wrote their descriptions long before Brent and I did, independently, and from different observing techniques.

===== NGC 6997 18" (8/12/07): very nice group of ~75 stars at 73x in a 12' diameter. A number of the stars are arranged in an oval outline extended ~E-W. The cluster is fairly rich although there is no clear border and another smaller grouping is nearly adjacent to the NW. Located towards the "East Coast" (west side) of the North America Nebula (on images the cluster is closer to the position of Lake Erie). Several mag 6-7 stars are within 15'-20' of the cluster including mag 6 HD 199579 17' S and mag 5.6 HD 199870 20' SE. 17.5" (7/17/93): about 50 stars in a 10' diameter. Located in the eastern U.S. portion of the North America Nebula. Includes many mag 10.5-12 stars. There are no rich portions and the group is somewhat scattered. Roughly circular outline, weak concentration in center. 13.1" (6/30/84): fairly prominent scattered group at the west edge of NGC 7000 (this is the "east" coast of the US outline). Located midway between two bright mag 6.0 and 6.8 stars with a 30' separation N-S.