NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 7139 24" (8/31/16): excellent contrast gain using a NPB filter at 200x. With this combination NGC 7139 is fairly bright, round, crisp-edged, 1.2' diameter. The rim is slightly brighter, particularly on the east and west sides and slightly weaker on part of the north and south rim, giving a subtle annularity. The interior is unevenly lit, and a bit darker on the north-northeast side. A mag 13.5 star is off the southeast end [0.9' from center] and a mag 15.5 star is right at the northeast edge of the rim. 18" (8/17/04): easily picked up at 115x unfiltered. At 225x appears moderately bright and large, slightly elongated ~N-S, ~1.2'x1.0'. A mag 13.5 star is just off the SE end. The rim appears to be slightly brighter, particularly along the SE side towards the mag 13.5 star. 17.5" (10/13/01): easily picked up sweeping at 100x without a filter. Appears moderately bright, round, 1.2' diameter, crisp-edged. A mag 13.5 star is off the SE edge. Excellent view at 280x without filter. The surface brightness appears irregular with a slightly brighter rim, particularly along the eastern half of the rim. An extremely faint star is intermittently visible right at the NE edge. A nice, elongated group of 6-8 stars follows the planetary in the same high power field. Central star not seen at 280x. 17.5" (8/8/91): moderately bright, fairly large, slightly elongated, 1.2' diameter. A mag 13.5 star is just off the SE edge 40" from the center. A slightly darker center is visible with an OIII filter at 140x but the annularity is subtle. No central star visible. 8" (8/28/81): extremely faint, moderately large, round, difficult, a faint star is near the south edge. Located about 4' NW of a faint curving arc of stars and 23' E of mag 7 SAO 19595. This is one of the faintest planetaries observed with the C8.