NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 7129 is a diffuse nebula enveloping three or four pretty bright stars. Both Herschels described it the same way, and JH measured the position angles and distances of two flanking stars with respect to the brightest, the more central southern one, BD +65 1638. His mean position for the nebula, adopted in GC and NGC, is for that star. Bigourdan apparently did not read JH's 1833 description before he examined the area in the 1884, 1889, and 1895. Bigourdan applied NGC 7129 only to the patch of nebulosity to the northwest of JH's star C, the northeastern of the three stars. He also found a "new" nebula in 1895 around JH's star A, the south-central of the three. This now carries the number IC 5134 (which see). In addition to the knot which he took to be NGC 7129, and IC 5134, Bigourdan measured four stars in the area, two of which to the southwest have only faint clouds of nebulosity near them. Bigourdan did not mention nebulosity around any of these four stars, though all are associated with at least faint wraiths of nebulosity. Another "nova" in the area from Bigourdan, NGC 7133 (which see), was apparently an illusion as there is nothing near his place but faint stars.

===== NGC 7129 17.5" (10/17/98): fairly high surface brightness nebulosity ~3'x2', surrounding three mag 9.5-10.5 stars at 220x. At 280x, the brightest region surrounds the southern star (also the brightest star) and the star 1' to its northeast. Just preceding this second star is a small knot that does not appear to be surrounding a star. The third star is 1' northwest the southern star and has the weakest halo. An additional pair of stars 1.5' and 2' southwest do not appear to be surrounded by halos. The entire group is encased in a diffuse glow and the surrounding region appears to be dusty. IC 5132/5133 are very weak nebulae surrounding two mag 12 stars ~5' NNW. 17.5" (9/23/89): fairly bright reflection nebula surrounded three bright stars. The brightest portion includes the southern star. Also a bright knot is at the north end and it does not appear to be surrounding a star (or the star is embedded). 13" (7/20/85): fairly bright with OIII filter but dims using a Daystar 300 filter. This nebulous region includes four or five stars and appears brighter around these stars. A small knot is at the north end and a second knot is at the south end.