Northwest – Chart 3

NW Chart 3

LH OB Associations: –

NGC Objects: NGC 1473, 1490, 1503, 1511, 1511A, 1511B, 1526, 1641, 1644, 1649, 1652, 1669, 1676

Northwest Region Chart 3

These background galaxies lie behind the furthest reaches of the LMC’s halo

Steve Gottlieb's observations

NGC 1473 (Background Galaxy)

RA 03 47 26.8 Dec -68 13 13 Mag 12.9 Size 1.5′ x 0.8′ SB 12.9 PA 36°

16″ at 228x: NGC 1473 is a member of a small group that includes NGC 1511 and 1511A, B. The galaxy appears faint and oval-shaped, elongated NE-SW, 40″ x 25″; a soft diffuse glow with a very slightly brighter core. It lies within a nice row of 4 stars; one to the NW and three to the SE.

NGC 1473

NGC 1490 (Background Galaxy)

RA 03 53 34.4 Dec -66 01 05 Mag 12.4 Size 1.3′ x 1.1′ SB 2.8 PA 142°

16″ at 228x: NGC 1490 is located 1.5 degrees SE of mag 3.8 Beta Reticuli. It appears fairly bright, round, 50″ in diameter, with a brighter round core surrounded by a fainter halo. Galaxy ESO 083-012 lies 9.5′ NE and averted vision revealed an exceedingly small, faint and narrow streak.

NGC 1490

NGC 1503 (Background Galaxy)

RA 03 56 33.5 Dec -66 02 28 Mag 13.4 Size 0.9′ x 0.7′ SB 12.7 PA 140°

16″ at 228x: NGC 1503 appears faint, round, ~20″ in diameter, brightening very slightly to the centre.

NGC 1503

NGC 1511, A, B (Background Galaxies)

RA 03 59 36.9 Dec -67 38 03 Mag 11.3 Size 3.5′ x 1.2′ SB 12.7 PA 25°

16″ at 228x: Lying way off the right side of the chart, these three galaxies are members of a small group that also includes NGC 1473. NGC 1511 appears fairly bright, elongated NW-SE, ~1.8′ x 40″. Its core is bright and elongated. Small edge-on NGC 1511A lies 11′ SSE, and appears very faint, elongated WNW-ESE, 30″ x 15″, with a smooth and even glow. NGC 1511B, lying 6.5′ NE of NGC 1511 is so small and so faint as to be invisible in my telescope.

NGC 1511 & A, B

NGC 1526 (Background Galaxy)

RA 04 05 12.3 Dec -65 50 23 Mag 13.8 Size 0.8′ x 0.5′ SB 12.0 PA 164°

16″ at 228x: Lying way off the right side of the chart, NGC 1526 appears as a faint, even glow, slightly oval shaped and elongated SW-NE, 30″ x 25″. It lies just south of a lovely group of 8 bright stars, including a mag 9.8 star that lies 3.3′ NNE.

NGC 1526

ESO 84-22 (Background Galaxy)

RA 04 35 00.6 Dec -65 17 59 Mag – Size 0.7′ x 0.4′ SB – PA –

16″ at 228x: This background galaxy appears as very faint, very small, off-round, ~15″ in diameter, with a pale, even glow.

ESO 84-22

NGC 1641 (Open Cluster)

RA 04 35 32.0 -65 45 00 Mag – Size 11′

16″ at 228x: Despite being a large, scattered group of stars, NGC 1641 stands out well because the surrounding field is relatively barren. Roughly 10′ in size, a dozen mag 10.5 to 13.5 stars and a number of stars down to mag 15 are resolved. A ragged 8′ chain of stars runs NNW-SSE on the east side and contains the cluster’s two brightest stars.

NGC 1641

ESO 84-26 (Background Galaxy)

RA 04 36 19.6 Dec -65 08 27 Mag – Size 1.1′ x 0.4′ SB – PA –

16″ at 228x: This background galaxy appears faint, oval, ~20″ in diameter, with a pale, even glow. A ~mag 14 star lies just to its northeast edge.

ESO 84-26

NGC 1644 (Young Globular Cluster)

RA 04 37 39.0 Dec -66 12 00 Mag 12.9 Size 1.8′ x 1.5′ Age –

16″ at 228x: This young globular cluster appears as a fairly bright, round glow, 35″ in diameter. It is smooth and even throughout with a very slight brightening to the centre. No stars are resolved.

NGC 1644

SL 8 (Open Cluster)

RA 04 37 51.5 Dec -69 01 42 Mag 13.8 Size 1.5′

16″ at 228x: SL 8 appears as a faint, round, very soft glow, ~20″ in diameter.

SL 8

NGC 1649 (Open Cluster)

RA 04 38 06.7 Dec -68 46 42 Mag 11.2 Size 0.6′

16″ at 228x: Located between mag 8.1 HD 29994 lying 2.1′ SSE and mag 11.7 HD 270591 lying 1.4′ NNW, this cluster appears as a faint, round glow, ~15″ in diameter. No stars are resolved.

NGC 1649

NGC 1652 (Young Globular Cluster)

RA 04 38 22.6 Dec -68 40 21 Mag 13.1 Size 1.5′ Age –

16″ at 228x: This young globular cluster appears as a fairly faint, round, hazy glow, 50″ in diameter. It has a very slight brightening to the centre. No stars are resolved.

NGC 1652

NGC 1669 (Background Galaxy)

RA 04 43 00.0 Dec -65 48 52 Mag 13.9 Size 0.7′ x 0.4′ SB 12.9 PA 36°

16″ at 228x: This background galaxy appears as a very faint, smooth and even oval, 25″ x 15″, elongated ESE-WNW. Five bright stars, which includes two mag 10 stars, lie to the galaxy’s west.

NGC 1669

NGC 1676 (Open Cluster)

RA 04 43 53.3 Dec -68 49 37 Mag – Size 0.8′

16″ at 228x: NGC 1676 appears as a very faint, round glow, 30″ in diameter, with no stars resolved. An attractive triangle of three mag 12 stars lies 2.5′ NW, and the southernmost star of the triangle is a pretty little pair.