S-L 566 = KMHK 1061

05 32 50.3  -70 47 07; Men
V = 12.6; Size 1.0′

25″ (4/3/19 – OzSky): at 244x; fairly bright, fairly small, round, 35″ diameter, small bright core, no resolution. Located 11′ ENE of NGC 2010.

Notes: Shapley-Lindsay: “Compact, unresolved.”

 

NGC 2031 = ESO 056-153 = S-L 577

05 33 41.1  -70 59 15; Men
V = 10.8; Size 2.6’x1.8′

24″ (4/5/08 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): at 200x this LMC cluster was very bright, fairly large, slightly elongated NNW-SSE, well concentrated with a 1′ core and much fainter halo about 2′ diameter. The cluster had a mottled texture and was quite lively around the edges, but was not clearly resolved. On images the core is noticeably extended. NGC 2031 is located 12′ NW of mag 7.6 HD 37899 and 5.5′ SW of a mag 9.1 star. NGC 2018, a remarkable nebulous cluster, lies 12′ WSW and NGC 2051 is a similar distance to the ESE.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2031 = h2915 on 3 Nov 1834 and noted “F (?); R; gradually brighter in the middle; 3′ (Hazy Sky)”. On a later sweep he had a better view and logged “globular, B; R; gradually brighter in the middle; 2′. Resolved into stars.” His position is just off the south side of this large cluster.

 

NGC 2038 = ESO 056-158 = S-L 590

05 34 42  -70 33 42; Men
V = 11.9; Size 0.9’x0.8′

25″ (4/3/19 – OzSky): at 244x; very bright, moderately large, round, 50″ diameter, small intense core and mottled halo but no definite resolution. Mag 9.5 HD 37732 lies 4′ NNW.

24″ (11/18/12 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): very bright, fairly small, slightly elongated, 40″ diameter, clumpy but no individual stars resolved. First of three nearly on a line with NGC 2056 11′ SE and NGC 2075 20′ SE. Located 4′ SSE of mag 9.5 HD 37732.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2038 = h2920 on 24 Nov 1834 and logged “B, R, gradually little brighter middle, 25″, has a *9 mag 5′ north-preceding.” His position is accurate.

 

NGC 2051 = ESO 056-169 = S-L 608

05 36 08.0  -71 00 43; Men
V = 11.7; Size 1.3′

24″ (4/5/08 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): at 200x this LMC cluster appeared bright, fairly small, round, 35″ diameter. Located 12′ ESE of brighter NGC 2031. Two additional S-L clusters (617 and 624) share the field 8.5′ SSE. The cluster is also equidistant from a mag 9 star 8′ NW and mag 7.6 HD 37899 a similar distance SW.

S-L 617 is the southwestern member of a pair of S-L clusters. At 200x it appeared faint, moderately large, round, 30″ diameter. Overall it was larger but with a lower surface brightness than S-L 624 located 3.5′ NE. Located ~5′ ESE of a mag 7.6 star.

S-L 624 appeared as a fairly faint, compact knot, ~20″ diameter, with a fairly high surface brightness. A mag 11.7 star is 1.9′ SW and S-L 617 lies 3.5′ SW.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2051 = h2930 on 23 Dec 1834 and reported “pB; S; R; gradually brighter in the middle; 30″; insulated.” His position from a single sweep is accurate.

 

NGC 2056 = ESO 056-172 = S-L 611

05 36 34.0  -70 40 16; Men
V = 11.8; Size 1.2’x0.9′

24″ (11/18/12 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): very bright, fairly large, 1.2′ diameter, very high surface brightness core, mottled and clumpy halo with a couple of mag 15.5-16 stars resolved around the edges. Second of three with NGC 2038 11′ NW and NGC 2075 9′ ESE. Mag 9.3 HD 38174 is near the midpoint of NGC 2056 and 2075. Mag 10.5 HD 269825 lies 3.6′ SSW and a mag 11 star is 2.5′ N.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2056 = h2932 on 23 Dec 1834 and recorded “pB, R, bM, the preceding of 2 [with NGC 2075] on the same parallel; a star 9 mag between.” His position is ~30″ SE of center of this cluster.

 

S-L 617

05 36 42.0  -71 08 52; Men
Size 1.5′

24″ (4/5/08 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): this is the SW member of a pair of S-L clusters about 8′ SSE of NGC 2051. At 200x it appeared faint, moderately large, round, 30″ diameter. Overall it was larger but with a lower surface brightness than S-L 624 located 3.6′ NE. Located ~5′ ESE of a mag 7.6 star.

Notes: Robert Innes discovered S-L 617 on a photograph taken with the 10-inch Franklin-Adams camera of the Johannesburg (Union) Observatory. It was catalogued in the 1924 “Catalogue of Clusters and Nebulae Near the Large Magellanic Cloud” as a “small nebula.”

 

NGC 2052 = ESO 056-176 = LMC-N155

05 37 11  -69 46 30; Dor
Size 1.2′

14″ (4/4/16 – Coonabarabran, 145x): without a filter this emission nebula (N155) is a very faint, small patch perhaps 35″ diameter, with only a couple of faint stars involved. Situated midway between a mag 12 star 2′ W and a mag 12.5 star 2′ ENE.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2052 = h2929 in 1834-1835 (sweep number and date unknown as based on a sketch of the Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) region made over several nights in Nov 1834 and Dec 1835) and described as “vvF, vvL, very gradually little brighter middle.” Herschel changed the description in the GC to read “eF, vvS, very gradually little brighter middle” (probably an error) and this was copied by Dreyer into the NGC. His position is 2.5′ SW of the faint HII region N155, which the Hodge-Wright Atlas and the ESO identify as NGC 2052. There are no other nearby candidates. Harold Corwin suggests “NGC 2052 may be the large diffuse nebula 2 minutes of time preceding Herschel’s position. But it may not be.”

Eric Lindsay, in the 1964 paper “Some NGC objects in the Large Magellanic Cloud” (IAJ, 6, 286-289), notes “Should be 2.3m E of NGC 2033. It may be a small group slightly NE in which is Henize N155. Dreyer and Herschel differ as to size [actually Herschel changed the size]. Herschel measured the position from a drawing and not during a sweep.”

 

S-L 624

05 37 18.9  -71 06 56; Men
Size 1.0′

24″ (4/5/08 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): S-L 624 and 617 form a 3.4′ pair of fainter LMC clusters picked up in the same field as NGC 2051 (8.5′ NNW) and 7′ following mag 7.6 HD 37899. S-L 624 appeared as a fairly faint, compact knot, ~20″ diameter, with a fairly high surface brightness. A mag 11.7 star is 1.9′ SW and S-L 617 lies 3.4′ SW.

Notes: Shapley-Lindsay: “Few compact stars.”

 

NGC 2075 = LMC-N213 = ESO 057-5 = S-L 631

05 38 21  -70 41 04; Men
V = 11.5; Size 2.2′

24″ (11/18/12 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): very bright, irregular, triangular-shaped, ~50″ diameter. Near the center is a very bright knot consisting of a few extremely close stars. A couple of additional stars are resolved within the glow and a number of stars are near the edges. The cluster is surrounded by faint nebulosity (N213) that doubles the size of the object. NGC 2075 forms the vertex of an isosceles right triangle with mag 9.4 HD 38174 4.5′ W and a mag 10 star 4.5′ S. Third of three clusters with NGC 2056 9′ WNW and NGC 2038 20′ NW. NGC 2107 lies 24′ ENE.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2075 = h2943 on 23 Dec 1834 and logged “B, R, bM, resolved; the following of two on the same parallel [with NGC 2056], a star 9 mag intervening.” His position is at the east edge of this nebulous cluster.

 

S-L 636 = OGLE-CL LMC 664

05 39 00.2  -69 59 18; Men
V = 13.5; Size 0.8′

25″ (4/3/19 and 4/6/19 – OzSky): at 244x; fairly bright, moderately large, round, 35″-40″ diameter, brighter core, moderate surface brightness. Located 5.7′ ESE of mag 8.2 HD 38215. Emission nebula N175 is 9′ ESE and cluster S-L 654 is 12′ ENE.

Notes: Robert Innes discovered S-L 636 on a photograph taken with the 10-inch Franklin-Adams camera of the Johannesburg (Union) Observatory. It was catalogued in the 1924 “Catalogue of Clusters and Nebulae Near the Large Magellanic Cloud” as a “stellar nebula.”

Shapley-Lindsay: 35″, “condensed centre, unresolved.”

 

LMC-N175 = DEM L 281

05 40 43  -70 02 28; Men
Size 2.2′

25″ (4/3/19 and 4/6/19 – OzSky): at 244x; picked up unfiltered as a faint, moderately large, round glow, over 1′ diameter, surrounding a single mag 14 star at the center. The NPB filter gave a good contrast boost and the nebula appeared moderately bright, even surface brightness, well defined periphery, increased to 1.5′ diameter. Situated 4′ W of mag 9.1 HD 38706. Two additional mag 11 stars are 1.8′ NW and 1.2′ NE of the bright star. Clusters S-L 636 and S-L 654 lie 9′ WNW and 9′ NNE, respectively.

 

Hodge 6 = [H60B] 6 = S-L 668 = ESO 057-030 = KMHK 1275

05 42 17.6  -71 35 28; Men
V = 12.1; Size 1.5′

25″ (4/6/19 – OzSky): at 244x; between fairly faint and moderately bright, fairly large, round, 1.2′-1.5′ diameter, broad concentration with a mottled halo of low surface brightness. No individual stars were resolved. Located 16′ SSE of NGC 2103 (very bright nebulous cluster) and 29′ WSW of NGC 2121.

Notes: Robert Innes discovered S-L 668 on a photograph taken with the 10-inch Franklin-Adams camera of the Johannesburg (Union) Observatory. It was catalogued in the 1924 “Catalogue of Clusters and Nebulae Near the Large Magellanic Cloud” as a “fine spiral? nebula with central star.” Despite the odd description the position matches.

Age: ~2.3 billion years in “HST survey of Magellanic Cloud clusters” (2022)

Paul Hodge classified this cluster as an anonymous (#6) “Red Globular” in the 1960 “Studies of the Large Magellanic Cloud. I. The Red Globular Clusters.” (ApJ, 131, 351)

Shapley-Lindsay (1963): size 70″, “Round, somewhat condensed centre, outer resolved, irregular.”

 

NGC 2107 = ESO 057-032 = S-L 679

05 43 12.4 -70 38 26; Men
V = 11.2; Size 1.5′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; very bright, large, round, 1′ diameter. Contains a very large bright core with only a thin fainter halo, slightly mottled appearance but no clear resolution. Two mag 12 and 13 stars are 3′ and 4′ WSW and two mag 12.5 and 13 star lie 3.5′ and 4′ WNW.

NGC 2107 is surrounded by several small clusters (these were all picked up just examining the field): S-L 691 and S-L 692, a close pair of open clusters, is 5′ ESE, S-L 676 is 4′ N, S-L 684 is 5′ NNE and H-S 398 is 9′ NNW.
S-L 676: moderately bright and large, round, 35″ diameter, smooth glow with no resolution. S-L 684 is 2.4′ ENE.
S-L 684: fairly faint to moderately bright, smooth glow, 25″ diameter, roundish, no resolution.
S-L 691: faint or fairly faint, small, round, glow, 25″ diameter. S-L 691 is the northern of close pair of LMC clusters with S-L 692 just 48″ S.
S-L 692: fairly faint, fairly small, slightly elongated glow, 35″ diameter, no resolution.
H-S 398: moderately bright, fairly small, round, soft glow, no resolution.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2107 = h2971 on 9 Feb 1836 and described as “F; R; gradually very little brighter middle; 60″.” On a second sweep he recorded “B; R; gradually much brighter middle; 40″.” His position is accurate.

Pietro Baracchi observed the cluster on 11 Dec 1884 with the 48″ Melbourne telescope. At the same time he discovered two other clusters in the field; S-L 676 and S-L 684. He sketched these clusters with respect to NGC 2107 and measured offsets, though these discoveries were never published. On 10 Feb 1885 he reobserved the field and also discovered S-L 692.

 

S-L 684 = KMHK 1302

05 43 38 -70 33 58; Men
Size 0.6′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; fairly faint to moderately bright, smooth glow, 25″ diameter, roundish, no resolution. Brighter S-L 676 lies 2.4′ WSW. Picked up 5′ NNE of NGC 2107.

Notes: Pietro Baracchi discovered S-L 684 and S-L 676 on 11 Dec 1884, while observing NGC 2107 with the 48″ Melbourne telescope. His sketch accurately placed both clusters with respect to each other and NGC 2107 (labeled as “a”). He described it as “extremely faint, shapeless – perhaps roundish, small, very little brighter middle. Follows (a) by 27 seconds and is 3′ 50″ north of it.” This was one of his first discoveries and was never published.

Shapley and Lindsay give a diameter of 25” and remark, “Round, condensed, unresolved.”

 

S-L 691 = KMHK 1319 = BRHT 40a

05 44 14.1 -70 39 20; Men
Size 0.6‘

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; faint or fairly faint, small, round, glow, 25″ diameter. S-L 691 is the northern of close pair of LMC clusters with BRHT 40b = S-L 692 just 48″ S. Situated 5′ E of

Notes: Shapley-Lindsay: “Few stars, possibly small cluster.”

 

BRHT 40b = S-L 692 = KMHK 1320

05 44 14.5 -70 40 09; Men
V = 13.8; Size 0.7′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; fairly faint, fairly small, slightly elongated glow, 35″ diameter, no resolution. S-L 692 is the southern of close pair of LMC clusters with S-L 691 just 48″ N. Located 5.4′ ESE of NGC 2107.

Notes: Pietro Baracchi discovered S-L 692 on 10 Feb 1885, while reexamining the field of NGC 2107. He described it as “very small and very faint, irregular shape, roundish if anything.” His sketch shows a nebulous object, which he measured as 64 seconds following and 1′ 30′ south of NGC 2107. This offset points directly to S-L 692, though he missed slightly fainter S-L 691 just 0.8′ N. He also computed positions that confirm his discovery two months earlier of S-L 676 and S-L 684.

Age: ~140 million years.

 

NGC 2111 = ESO 057-035 = S-L 699

05 44 33 -70 59 36; Men
V = 12.4; Size 1.5′

25″ (10/10/15 – OzSky): moderately bright, fairly large cluster, irregular outline, 45″ diameter. The brighter core is elongated E-W and mottled with a couple of stars occasionally resolved. A few mag 15+ stars are also visible around the edges. Mag 9.2 HD 39133 is 5′ SW. Located near the southeast end of the LMC.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2111 = h2973 on 9 Feb 1836 and described as “vF; S; R; gradually brighter in the middle.” On a second sweep he estimated the size as 40″. His position is accurate.

 

NGC 2118 = ESO 057-039 = S-L 717

05 47 40 -69 07 54; Dor
V = 11.9; Size 1.2′

25″ (10/10/15 – OzSky): at 318x; very bright, moderately large, round, 40″ diameter, sharply concentrated with a very bright core, unresolved.

Notes: James Dunlop discovered NGC 2118 = D 158 = h2979 on 25 Sep 1826. He recorded “a very faint small nebula about 10″ diameter, rather well defined”. His published (reduced) position was 10′ too far ENE but using his offsets from NGC 2100 = D 154 (recorded 5 minutes earlier in the drift), the resulting position is just 3′ NE of NGC 2118. Glen Cozens and Wolfgang Steinicke assign D 153 (the previous object in the drift) to NGC 2118, but using the same offsets, its position is 7′ too far north.

John Herschel rediscovered NGC 2118 on 16 Dec 1835 (sweep 657). He described a “globular; very suddenly much brighter middle; 15″.” On 22 Nov 1836 (sweep 748) he logged “a vS, B knot, probably 6 or 8 vS stars wedged into a close group.” His position matches this cluster.

 

NGC 2121 = ESO 057-040 = S-L 725

05 48 13.2 -71 28 50; Men
V = 12.4; Size 2.3’x1.5′

25″ (10/10/15 – OzSky): at 318x; bright, very large, slightly elongated ~N-S, 2.0’x1.6′, only a broad weak concentration. Fairly smooth appearance with only a slight granularity. A couple of mag 15.5-16 are resolved around the edges. Mag 9.9 HD 39626 is 6′ WSW.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2121 = h2982 on 9 Feb 1836 and described as “vF; very gradually little brighter middle; 3′.” His position from one sweep is accurate.

 

S-L 734 = ESO 057-042 = KMHK 1413

05 48 53.6 -71 03 33; Men
V = 12.5; Size 1.0′

25″ (4/6/19 – OzSky): at 244x; fairly bright, fairly small, round, 35″ diameter, very small very bright nucleus, high surface brightness, no resolution. A mag 8.9 star (HD 39675) is 8′ NW and two mag 9.5/10 stars are collinear to its SW and NE (6′ separation). S-L 747 is 8.6′ SE, NGC 2133 is 14′ SE and NGC 2134 is 15′ ESE.

Notes: Shapley-Lindsay: “Fairly compact, round, mostly resolved.”

 

S-L 747 = KMHK 1441

05 50 10 -71 09 40; Men
V = 13.0; Size 1.0′

25″ (4/6/19 – OzSky): at 244x; moderately bright, fairly small, round, 40″ diameter, increases to a very small (or stellar) bright nucleus, no resolution. A mag 14 star is 1.3′ SSW and a mag 11.5 star is 2.6′ NNE. [HS 75] 9, a very dim and small cluster, was noticed 0.9′ SW of center. S-L 747 is situated 6.5′ W of NGC 2133 and 9.5′ SW of NGC 2134. S-L 734 lies 8.6′ NW.

Notes: Shapley-Lindsay: “Irregular, mostly resolved.”

 

GH 9-1 = [H75] 09 = LEDA 3704202

05 50 00.1 -71 09 57; Men
Size 0.45’x0.3′

25″ (4/6/19 – OzSky):. at 244x; very faint and small. Noticed without prior knowledge just 0.9′ SW of center of the LMC cluster S-L 747.

The designation GH 9-1 is from the 1990 paper by Gurwell and Hodge: “Galaxies behind the Large Magellanic Cloud.”
List of 96 galaxies brighter than V = 16.5, seen through the LMC. . The redshift z = .039.

Notes: In 1975, Hodge originally catalogued this object in “Clusters of the Magellanic Clouds”, hence the designation [H75] 09

 

NGC 2125 = ESO 057-044 = S-L 750

05 50 54 -69 28 48; Dor
Size 1.0′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; fairly faint to moderately bright glow, elongated NW-SE, 35″ diameter. A mag 14.7 star (~5″ double with a mag 16 star) is at the northeast end, a mag 15.7 star is at the southwest tip and a mag 16 star is at the northwest edge. NGC 2127 lies 7.5′ NNE and the double cluster NGC 2136/2137 is 11′ E.

25″ (10/10/15 – OzSky): fairly faint, fairly small, 30″ diameter, lacks concentration. A couple of very faint stars are resolved as well as a mag 14.5-15 star on the northeast edge. Faintest of 3 clusters with NGC 2127 7.5′ NE and NGC 2136/2137 11′ ESE.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2125 = h2985 on 23 Dec 1834 and recorded “vF; R; 50″; gradually brighter in the middle.” His position (single sweep) is 1′ too far south.

 

NGC 2127 = ESO 057-045 = S-L 751

05 51 22 -69 21 39; Dor
V = 11.6; Size 1.2′

25″ (10/10/15 – OzSky): very bright, small, slightly elongated SW-NE, 30″ diameter, high surface brightness, stellar nucleus. No resolution except for a mag 14.5 star at the south tip and a mag 15.5 star at the west edge. NGC 2125 is 7.5′ SSW and NGC 2136 is 12′ SE.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2127 = h2986 on 23 Dec 1834 and recorded “B, S, R, 15″.” His position (measured on 3 sweeps) is accurate.

 

NGC 2133 = ESO 057-046 = S-L 751

05 51 29 -71 10 30; Men
V = 12.4; Size 1.7′

25″ (10/10/15 – OzSky): moderately bright and large, round, 45″ diameter, relatively large brighter core, unresolved. This cluster is a smaller and paler version of NGC 2134, which lies 5.2′ NNE. S-L 747 is 6.5′ WNW.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2133 = h2989 (along with NGC 2134 = h2991) on 24 Nov 1834 and recorded “pB; pL; R; gradually brighter in the middle; 60″.” His position is accurate.

 

NGC 2134 = ESO 057-047 = S-L 760

05 51 57.2 -71 05 52; Men
V = 10.7; Size 2.2′

25″ (10/10/15 – OzSky): bright, fairly large, round, 1.1′ diameter, sharply concentrated with a relatively large bright core. No resolution in the halo except for a mag 14.5 star just off the northeast edge and a mag 15.5 star at the south-southwest edge. NGC 2133 lies 5′ SSW.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2134 = h2991 (along with NGC 2133 = h2989) on 24 Nov 1834 and recorded it in four sweeps. His first observation reads “B; L; R; gradually brighter in the middle; 90″.” His mean position is 05 51 57.2 -71 06 27 (2000) which is close to the ESO position of 05 51 56.7 -71 05 50 (2000) but RNGC has an incorrect RA of 05 50.1, which is repeated in NGC 2000.0.

 

S-L 763 = KMHK 1488

05 52 54 -69 47 06; Dor
V = 12.9; Size 1.0′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; moderately bright, fairly small, small brighter core, 30″ diameter. A few mag 15-16 stars are resolved, mostly around the edges. Mag 9.1 HD 40309 lies 6′ WSW. Located 12′ NE of mag 7.6 HD 40156.

Notes: Robert Innes discovered S-L 763 on a photograph taken with the 10-inch Franklin-Adams camera of the Johannesburg or Union Observatory. It was catalogued in the 1924 “Catalogue of Clusters and Nebulae Near the Large Magellanic Cloud” as a “minute cluster or nebulous star.”

Shapley-Lindsay: “Fairly compact, outer resolved.”

 

NGC 2136 = ESO 057-048 = S-L 762 = BRHT 22a

05 52 59 -69 29 36; Dor
V = 10.5; Size 1.9′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; extremely bright LMC cluster, large, very mottled and lively, relatively large bright core. A mag 13-13.5 star is at the NW edge, a mag 14 star is at the S edge and a 14th mag Cepheid (UX Dor) is 40″ SE of center. Roughly a dozen stars are resolved in total. A mag 10.8 star is 1.5′ NNW and a mag 12 star is 1′ SSW (LMC Yellow Supergiant candidate).

NGC 2136 forms a striking double cluster with NGC 2137 1.4′ NE (the two clusters form a gravitationally bound binary system). NGC 2125 lies 11′ W and NGC 2150 (a galaxy) is 15′ ESE.

Notes: James Dunlop discovered NGC 2136 = D 160 = h2992 in Sep 1826. One notebook description reads, “a small round nebula, pretty well defined. South of a small star – rather following.” His position is 8.6′ too far SW, but his last comment of the nearby star seems to clinch the identification as a mag 10.8 star is 1.5′ NNW. A second (unpublished) position (mentioning the same nearby star) was only off by 2′ NNE.

John Herschel recorded the cluster on 4 sweeps. His first observation on 3 Nov 1834 (sweep 509) reads “pB, R, bM, 1′; has a star 10.11th mag N.p. (thick haze).” On 11 Nov 1836 (sweep 748) he wrote, “Globular cluster, pB, R, gradually much brighter middle, resolved, stars 14..16 mag; has a vvF nebula north-following [NGC 2137].”

 

NGC 2137 = ESO 057-049 = S-L 764 = BRHT 22b

05 53 12.0 -69 28 54; Dor
V = 12.7; Size 0.8′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; moderately bright, small, round, 20″ diameter, lively, several extremely faint mag 16+ stars resolved. A mag 13 star is 50″ NE. NGC 2137 is the fainter and smaller of a striking double cluster with much brighter NGC 2136 just 1.4′ SW!

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2137 = h2994 on 23 Dec 1834 and recorded “vF; R; 30″; the following of 2 [with NGC 2136].” His position (2 sweeps) is accurate.

 

S-L 769 = KMHK 1499

05 53 24 -70 04 14; Men
V = 13.2; Size 1.8′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; large, round, smooth moderate surface brightness, nearly 1′ diameter. A mag 13 star is attached at the east end. Located 23′ due east of NGC 2122.

Notes: Robert Innes discovered S-L 769 on a photograph taken with the 10-inch Franklin-Adams camera of the Johannesburg (Union) Observatory. It was catalogued in the 1924 “Catalogue of Clusters and Nebulae Near the Large Magellanic Cloud” as a “nebula next [to] star”.

Shapley-Lindsay: “Faint, unresolved.”

 

NGC 2145 = ESO 057-052 = S-L 780

05 54 23 -70 54 06; Men
V = 12.1; Size 1.7′

25″ (10/10/15 – OzSky): bright, fairly small, roundish, 40″ diameter, well-defined slightly brighter core. A mag 14 star is at the southeast edge and two mag 15.5-16 stars are just off the north and east side. A bright mag 11.7 star is 50″ SSW.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2145 = h2998 on 12 Nov 1836 and described as “F; lE; resolvable.” His position from a single sweep is off by 1.7′ in dec (too far south).

 

NGC 2150 = ESO 057-055 = PGC 18097

05 55 46.4 -69 33 40; Dor
V = 13.0; Size 1.1’x0.9′; Surf Br = 12.9; PA = 143°

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; fairly faint to moderately bright, fairly small, oval 4:3 or 5:4 NW-SE, 0.7’x0.5′, smooth halo then suddenly increases to a bright, very small core. A mag 16.5 star is at the southeast edge. Located 9′ SW of mag 8.0 HD 41158 and 15′ ESE of the LMC cluster NGC 2136. So, this galaxy easily shines through the thin outer halo of the LMC.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2150 = h3000 on 9 Feb 1836 and recorded “F; vS; R; very suddenly brighter in the middle; stellar.” His position is ~35″ south of ESO 057-055 = PGC 18097.

 

Hodge 9 = [H60b] 9 = S-L 790 = ESO 057-056 = KMHK 1540

05 56 01 -70 20 21; Men
V = 12.7; Size 1.8’x1.6′

25″ (4/6/19 – OzSky): at 244x; moderately bright, fairly large, roundish, 1.2′ diameter, fairly low but even surface brightness, mottled with a strong suggestion of resolution, no distinct core. Mag 8.9 HD 41050 is 4′ NE and a mag 10.9 star is 5′ NE. Located 40′ SE of NGC 2122.

Notes: Robert Innes discovered S-L 790 on plates taken with the 10-inch Franklin-Adams camera at the Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was included in his 1924 “Catalogue of Clusters and Nebulae Near the Large Magellanic Cloud” as a “nebula with branches” and an “elongated nebula”.

Paul Hodge classified this cluster as an anonymous (#9) “Red Globular” in the 1960 “Studies of the Large Magellanic Cloud. I. The Red Globular Clusters.” (ApJ, 131, 351)

Shapley-Lindsay (1963): 90″ diameter, “Slightly condensed center, mostly resolved”

 

NGC 2151 = ESO 057-057 = S-L 786

05 56 21 -69 01 06; Dor
Size 1.0′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): at 394x; moderately bright, small, roundish, 35″ diameter. A mag 15.2 star is resolved on the southwest edge and a mag 14 star is at the northeast end. The bright nucleus is nearly stellar, so on first glance it looked like three collinear stars. A 13″ pair of similar mag 12.6/12.8 stars lies 4.5′ ENE and a mag 10.6 star is 3.7′ SSW. Located 12.6′ NW of NGC 2157.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2151 = h3001 on 31 Jan 1835 and logged “F; R; bM; 45″.” His position is accurate. The Hodge-Wright Atlas completely misplaces NGC 2151 onto chart 66, near 05 57 50 -63 53 38 (2000), about 20′ SW of NGC 2162. NGC 2151 is labeled SL 786.

 

NGC 2157 = ESO 057-058 = S-L 794

05 57 35.2 -69 11 48; Dor
V = 10.2; Size 2.5′

30″ (10/13/15 – OzSky): extremely bright, very large, 1.3′ diameter, strong concentration with a very bright, large core, very mottled appearance, showpiece cluster. At 394x, several obvious mag 14.8-15.5 stars were resolved in the halo and around the edges. With careful viewing the core broke up into a few dozen extremely packed stars (too tight and faint to count). A mag 11.4 star is 1.4′ WNW of center. NGC 2151 lies 13′ NNW. These clusters are on the east end of the LMC.

Notes: James Dunlop discovered NGC 2157 = D 161 = h3006 on 6 Nov 1826 with his 9″ speculum reflector and described “a small faint nebula, 15″ diameter; a small star near the north preceding edge.” Dunlop’s position was 7′ too far SSW, a very similar offset as NGC 2136, the previous object in logbook) Despite the small size estimate, there is a mag 11 star off the NW edge and this identification is very reasonable.

John Herschel recorded the cluster on 4 nights. In Dec 1834 (sweep 523), he recorded “vB, R, gradually brighter in the middle, 30″.” On 16 Dec 1835 (sweep 657), he logged “globular cluster, vB, R, very gradually very much brighter in the middle, resolvable.” He suggested a possible identification with D 161.

Pietro Baracchi logged this object on 3 Jan 1886 with the 48″ Melbourne telescope as “Cl; vB; R; gradually pretty much brighter middle; Diam 55″.” His sketch shows two resolved stars (marked as 17th mag) just off the SE side.