GRUS

by Steve Coe                          13.1" f/5.6 unless noted


NGC 7144  Pretty faint, pretty small, round and much brighter in the
middle at 100X.  I believe this is the most southern object I have
seen from the U.S.  It comes only 8.4 degrees above the horizon for me
in southern Arizona.

NGC 7410  Pretty bright, pretty large, much brighter in the middle
with a bright nucleus at 165X.  This lens-shaped galaxy is elongated
2.5 X 1 in PA 45.

NGC 7412  Pretty faint, pretty large, little brighter in the middle
and little elongated (1.5 X 1) in PA 90 at 100X.  There is a companion
to the west, NGC 7214A, it is very, very faint, small and round and
only seen occasionally, in moments of good seeing.

NGC 7418  Pretty faint, large, round and little brighter in the middle
at 100X.

NGC 7421  Faint, pretty large, little elongated 1.5 X 1 in PA 165, not
brighter in the middle at 135X.  This is a low surface brightness
galaxy.

NGC 7424  Very faint, large, round and little brighter in the middle
at 100X.  This object is low surface brightness and demands dark skies
and a clear night.

NGC 7456  Very faint, large, much elongated (3 X 1) in PA 30 and
gradually brighter in the middle at 100X.

NGC 7496  Very faint, pretty large, round and very little brighter in
the middle at 100X.

NGC 7531  Pretty faint, pretty small, somewhat elongated (1.5 X 1) in
PA 0 and much brighter in the middle at 100X.

NGC 7552  Pretty bright, pretty large, much brighter in the middle,
and much elongated (2.5 X 1) in PA 90 at 100X.  Raising the power to
165X will show off a bright, stellar nucleus in moments of good
seeing.

NGC 7582  Pretty faint, large, elongated 2.5 X 1 in PA 45 and not much
brighter in the middle at 100X.  Forms a nice triple galaxy with NGCs
7590 and 7599.

NGC 7590  Pretty faint, pretty large, elongated 2 X 1 in PA 0, has an
11th mag star on northern tip at 100X.

NGC 7599  Faint, pretty large, elongated 2 X 1 in PA 110 at 100X.

IC 1459  Pretty bright, pretty large, much brighter in the middle at
100X.  Elongated 2 X 1 in PA 90.  Has a very faint companion about 8'
to the south.  The companion galaxy is very faint, pretty small, not
brighter in the middle and elongated 1.5 X 1 in PA 90.


IC 5179  Pretty bright, pretty small, little brighter in the middle,
elongated 2 X 1 in PA 30 at 135X.  This is a fairly high surface
brightness galaxy, it was spotted at 80X.

IC 5273  Faint, pretty large, little brighter in the middle, little
elongated 1.5 X 1 in PA 30 at 135X.

Ultimate Star Party, McDonald Obs. Oct. 95, S=6, T=8, 25" f/5--
Grus I  Galaxy Cluster in 25" with 35mm,  9 galaxies within one field of
view and another 20 galaxies within one field surrounding the central
section.  This is at culmination above the southern horizon.


IC 5148  This planetary is PK  2-52.1, it is also IC 5150 and is
called that in the Hartung book.  Sentinel 8/10 S+T  13"  pretty
faint, pretty large, little elongated 1.2 X 1, annular--the dark
hole can be seen with averted vision.  Adding the UHC filter
makes a big difference, the hole is much more obvious and it
is a nice planetary.