NGC 2029 = ESO 086-15 = LMC-N63 = DEM L 243 = S-L 595 = LH 83

05 35 40.8 -66 02 06; Dor
V = 12.3; Size 4′

30″ (10/18/17 – OzSky): at 202x, 264x and 429x; large, fairly bright cluster (S-L 595) with ~30 stars resolved (numerous supergiant OB stars) in a 3.5′ region. These include at least 4 brighter mag 12.3-13.5 stars and a mag 12.7 star at the SW edge. Moderately faint nebulous haze (N63) encompasses the cluster. Adding a NPB filter at 264x increased the contrast with the large nebulous glow, which extended 2.5′ – 3′ diameter. Note: NGC 2029 is identified as NGC 2030 in most sources!

N63A, embedded slightly east of center of N63, is a well-known bright, compact supernova remnant and one of the first 3 extragalactic SNRs to be discovered in 1966. It appeared as a small round knot, only ~12″-15″ in diameter, and it was faintly visible even at 202x. It was easy to distinguish at 264x and stood out fairly prominently at 429x. Surprisingly, I didn’t notice any contrast gain adding a NPB filter (similar visibility).

14″ (4/4/16 – Coonabarabran, 145x): fairly bright, large, over a dozen mag 13 and fainter stars are resolved in a 3.5′ region. A fairly faint, oval emission glow (N63) is involved with the cluster (S-L 595). Adding an NPB filter, the nebulosity is bright, large, irregular (roughly round), ~2.5′ diameter, with several of the brighter stars still visible.

13.1″ (2/20/04 – Costa Rica): fairly bright, fairly large, 3’x1.5′, elongated N-S. This LMC object appears to be a large cluster with nebulosity (stellar association LH 83). A half-dozen mag 12-13 stars are resolved over an irregular background haze (unresolved stars?). Located 32′ N of mag 6.2 HD 37935. NGC 2003 lies 38′ SW. The compact SNR N63A is embedded (not noted).

Notes: James Dunlop discovered NGC 2029 = D 240 = h2911 on 27 Sep 1826 and noted a “faint round nebula, 25″ or 30″ diameter.” His position is just 4′ SW of center of the nebula. On 30 Nov 1834 (sweep 515), John Herschel called it “a rich, round, pretty large cluster of stars 12m; little compressed; 5′ long; one * 11m.” On sweep 539 he wrote “pB; R; gradually brighter in the middle; 60″; resolved into stars 13…15m.”

Jenni Kay notes the GC and NGC positions for NGC 2029 and NGC 2030 are reversed from Herschel’s original Cape of Good Hope positions of h2911 and h2910, respectively. The error must have occurred when he transferred the positions into the GC. So, NGC 2030 = h2030 is part of the Seagull Nebula and NGC 2029 = h2911 is an isolated nebula. All modern sources such as SIMBAD, ESO and the KMHK catalogue reverse the original identifications and call NGC 2029 part of the Seagull Nebula. The identifications given here follow the historical records.

LMC-N63A = SNR B0535-66.0

05 35 43 -66 02 06; Dor
Size 25″x19″

30″ (10/18/17 – OzSky): at 202x, 264x and 429x; N63A, embedded slightly east of center of N63 (nebulosity involved with NGC 2029), is a well-known bright, compact supernova remnant and one of the first three extragalactic SNRs to be discovered in 1966. It appeared as a small round knot, only 12″-15″ or so in diameter, and it was faintly visible unfiltered even at 202x. It was easily distinguished at 264x and stood out fairly prominently at 429x. Surprisingly, I didn’t notice any contrast gain adding a NPB filter (similar visibility).

Notes: Annie Jump Cannon discovered N63A in 1933 while working on the extension of the Henry Draper Catalogue. She listed it as #23 in a table of Gaseous Nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds (Harvard Circular 891) found on a plate taken at Bloemfontein, South Africa.