NGC/IC Project Restoration Effort

===== NGC 7663 is one of Brother Ferrari's nebulae announced by Father Secchi. It, unlike eight other nebulae found by Ferrari, has two candidate galaxies in the area of the nominal position. One, MCG -01-59-022 is slightly brighter than the other, MCG -01-59-023. The latter galaxy has the advantage of being closer to the nominal RA, but is just as far off in declination, and has a lower surface brightness -- I'd be surprised if it could be seen in a 9.5-inch refractor while sweeping with the 27 arcminute field that his eyepiece gave him (see NGC 7667 for more on the Vatican observers). I've put both positions in the table -- with question marks, of course.

===== NGC 7663 17.5" (12/16/95): this observation refers to MCG -01-59-022 which is located 4.4' W of (R)NGC 7663 = MCG -01-59-023. It appeared extremely faint and small, round, 20" diameter, very weak concentration to an occasional 10" core. Located on a line between a mag 14 star 1.2' NW and mag 9.5 SAO 146709 3.6' SE. A mag 14 double at 16" separation lies 6' ENE. MCG -01-59-023 was not seen in fair seeing. The identification of either galaxy with NGC 7663 is very uncertain.