The RASC's Finest N.G.C. Objects List

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) has published this list in their yearly Observer's Handbook which is edited by James S. Edgar. The Finest N.G.C. Objects List was compiled by Alan Dyer; it is arranged sorted by seasons and constellations.
Credit: Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC)

Autumn


No. NGC Con Type R.A. Dec m_v Size Remarks
1 7009 Aqr PN 21:04.2 -11:02 8.3 25" !! Saturn Nebula; small bright oval 2 7293 Aqr PN 22:29.6 -20:48 6.5 12'50" !! Helix Nebula; large, diffuse; use filter 3 7331 Peg G-Sb 22:37.1 +34:25 9.5 10.7x4.0 !! large, bright spiral galaxy 4 7635 Cas EN 23:20.7 +61:12 - 15x8 Bubble Neb.; very faint; 1/2 deg SW of M52 5 7789 Cas OC 23:57.0 +56:44 6.7 16 !! 300*; faint but very rich cluster 6 185 Cas G-E0 00:39.0 +48:20 11.7 2x2 companion to M31; paired with NGC 147 7 281 Cas EN 00:52.8 +56:36 - 35x30 !! large faint nebulosity near eta Cas 8 457 Cas OC 01:19.1 +58:20 6.4 13 80*; rich; one of the best Cas clusters 9 663 Cas OC 01:46.0 +61:15 7.1 16 80*; look for NGC's 654 and 659 nearby 10 I 289 Cas PN 03:10.3 +61:19 12.3 34" dim oval smudge; use nebula filter 11 7662 And PN 23:25.9 +42:33 9.2 20" !! Blue Snowball; annular at high power 12 891 And G-Sb 02:22.6 +42:21 10 13.5x2.8 !! faint, classic edge-on with dust lane 13 253 Scl G-Scp 00:47.6 -25:17 7.1 25.1x7.4 !! very large and bright but at low altitude 14 772 Ari G-Sb 01:59.3 +19:01 10.3 7.1x4.5 diffuse spiral galaxy 15 246 Cet PN 00:47.0 -11:53 8.0 3'45" faint (closer to 11 m); dark mottling 16 936 Cet G-SBa 02:27.6 -01:09 10.1 5.2x4.4 near M77; NGC 941 in the same field 17 869/84 Per OC 02:20.0 +57:08 ~4.4 30/30 !! Double Cluster; 350*; use low mag. 18 1023 Per G-E7p 02:40.4 +39:04 9.5 8.7x4.3 bright lens-shaped galaxy near M34 19 1491 Per EN 04:03.4 +51:19 - 3.0x3.0 small fairly faint emission nebula 20 1501 Cam PN 04:07.0 +60:55 12.0 52" faint; dark center; look for NGC 1502 21 1232 Eri G-Sc 03:09.8 -20:35 9.9 7.8x6.9 face-on spiral; look for NGC 1300 nearby 22 1535 Eri PN 04:14.2 -12:44 10.4 18" bright planetary with blue-grey disk

Winter


No. NGC Con Type R.A. Dec m_v Size Remarks
23 1514 Tau PN 04:09.2 +30:47 10.8 1'54" faint glow around 9.4 mag central star 24 1931 Aur E/RN 05:31.4 +34:15 3.0x3.0 haze surrounding 4 close stars 25 1788 Ori RN 05:06.9 -03:21 8.0x5.0 fairly bright but diffuse reflection nebula 26 1973+ Ori E/RN 05:35.1 -04:44 40x25 near M42 and M43; often neglected 27 2022 Ori PN 05:42.1 +09:05 12.4 18" small, faint & distinct with annular form 28 2024 Ori EN 05:40.7 -02:27 30x30 bright but masked by glow from Zeta Ori 29 2194 Ori OC 06:13.8 +12:48 8.5 10 80*, fairly rich; look for 2169 nearby 30 2371/2 Gem PN 07:25.6 +29:29 13.0 55" faint double-lobed planetary; use filter 31 2392 Gem PN 07:29.2 +20:55 8.3 13" !! Clown Face or Eskimo Nebula 32 2237+ Mon EN 06:32.3 +05:03 80x60 !! Rosette Neb.; very large; use neb. filter 33 2261 Mon E/RN 06:39.2 +08:44 var 2x1 Hubble's Variable Nebula; comet-shaped 34 2359 CMa EN 07:18.6 -13:12 8.0x6.0 bright; look for NGC 2360 & 2362 nearby 35 2440 Pup PN 07:41.9 -18:13 10.3 14" almost starlike; irregular at high power 36 2539 Pup OC 08:10.7 -12:50 6.5 22 50*; rich cluster; near M46 and M47 37 2403 Cam G-Sc 07:36.9 +65:36 8.4 17.8x11.0 !! very large & bright; visible in binocs. 38 2655 Cam G-Sa 08:55.6 +78:13 10.1 5.1x4.4 bright ellipse with starlike nucleus

Spring


No. NGC Con Type R.A. Dec m_v Size Remarks
39 2683 Lyn G-Sb 08:52.7 +33:25 9.7 9.3x2.5 nearly edge-on spiral; very bright 40 2841 UMa G-Sb 09:22.0 +50:58 9.3 8.1x3.8 !! classic elongated spiral; very bright 41 3079 UMa G-Sb 10:02.2 +55:41 10.6 7.6x1.7 edge-on spiral; NGC 2950 nearby 42 3184 UMa G-Sc 10:18.3 +41:25 9.7 6.9x6.8 large, diffuse face-on spiral 43 3877 UMa G-Sb 11:46.1 +47:30 10.9 5.4x1.5 edge-on; same field as chi UMa 44 3941 UMa G-E3 11:52.9 +36:59 9.8 3.8x2.5 small bright elliptical 45 4026 UMa G-S0 11:59.4 +50:58 10.7 5.1x1.4 lense-shaped edge-on near gamma UMa 46 4088 UMa G-Sc 12:05.6 +50:33 10.5 5.8x2.5 nearly edge-on; NGC 4085 in same field 47 4157 UMa G-Sb 12:11.1 +50:29 11.9 6.9x1.7 a thin sliver; NGCs 4026 & 4088 nearby 48 4605 UMa G-SBcp 12:40.0 +61:37 9.6 5.5x2.3 bright distinct edge-on spiral 49 3115 Sex G-E6 10:05.2 -07:43 9.2 8.3x3.2 Spindle Galaxy; bright and elongated 50 3242 Hya PN 10:24.8 -18:38 8.6 16" !! Ghost of Jupiter; small but bright 51 3003 LMi G-Sc 09:48.6 +33:25 11.7 5.9x1.7 faint elongated streak 52 3344 LMi G-Sc 10:43.5 +24:55 9.9 6.9x6.5 diffuse face-on spiral 53 3432 LMi G-SBm 10:52.5 +36:37 11.3 6.2x1.5 nearly edge-on; faint flat streak 54 2903 Leo G-Sb 09:32.2 +21:30 8.9 12.6x6.6 !! verly large, bright elongated spiral 55 3384 Leo G-E7 10:48.3 +12:38 9.9 5.9x2.6 same field as M105 and NGC 3389 56 3521 Leo G-Sb 11:05.8 -00:02 8.7 9.5x5.0 very large, bright spiral 57 3607 Leo G-E1 11:16.9 +18:03 10.0 3.7x3.2 NGCs 3605 & 3608 in same field 58 3628 Leo G-Sb 11:20.3 +13:36 9.5 14.8x3.6 large edge-on; same field as M65 and M66 59 4111 CVn G-S0 12:07.1 +43:04 10.8 4.8x1.1 bright lens-shaped edge-on spiral 60 4214 CVn G-Irr 12:15.6 +36:20 9.7 7.9x6.3 large irregular galaxy 61 4244 CVn G-S 12:17.5 +37:49 10.2 16.2x2.5 !! large distinct edge-on spiral 62 4449 CVn G-Irr 12:28.2 +44:06 9.4 5.1x3.7 bright rectangular shape 63 4490 CVn G-Sc 12:30.6 +41:38 9.8 5.9x3.1 bright spiral; 4485 (Cocoon gal.) in field 64 4631 CVn G-Sc 12:42.1 +32:32 9.3 15.1x3.3 !! large edge-on; look for companion 4627 65 4656/7 CVn G-Sc 12:44.0 +32:10 10.4 13.8x3.3 in field with 4631; NE end curves up 66 5005 CVn G-Sb 13:10.9 +37:03 9.8 5.4x2.7 bright elongated spiral near alpha CVn 67 5033 CVn G-Sb 13:13.4 +36:36 10.1 10.5x5.6 large bright spiral near NGC 5005 68 4274 Com G-Sb 12:19.8 +29:37 10.4 6.9x2.8 NGCs 4278/83/86 in same field 69 4414 Com G-Sc 12:26.4 +31:13 10.2 3.6x2.2 bright spiral with starlike nucleus 70 4494 Com G-E1 12:31.4 +25:47 9.8 4.8x3.8 small bright elliptical 71 4559 Com G-Sc 12:36.0 +27:58 9.8 10.5x4.9 large spiral with coarse structure 72 4565 Com G-Sb 12:36.3 +25:59 9.6 16.2x2.8 !! superb edge-on spiral with dust lane 73 4725 Com G-Sb 12:50.4 +25:30 9.2 11.0x7.9 very bright, large spiral 74 4038/9 Crv G-Sc 12:01.9 -18:52 10.7 ~3x2 `Antennae' or `Rattail' interacting galaxies 75 4361 Crv PN 12:24.5 -18:48 10.3 45" small and bright; with 13-mag central star 76 4216 Vir G-Sb 12:15.9 +13:09 9.9 8.3x2.2 nearly edge-on; with NGCs 4206 & 4222 77 4388 Vir G-Sb 12:25.8 +12:40 11.0 5.1x1.4 with M84 and M86 in Markarian's Chain 78 4438 Vir G-Sap 12:27.8 +13:01 10.1 9.3x3.9 paired with NGC 4435 to form the "Eyes" 79 4517 Vir G-Sc 12:32.8 +00:07 10.5 10.2x1.9 faint edge-on spiral 80 4526 Vir G-E7 12:34.0 +07:42 9.6 7.6x2.3 between two 7-mag stars; the "Lost Galaxy" 81 4535 Vir G-Sc 12:34.3 +08:12 9.8 6.8x5.0 near M49 and 3/4 deg N of NGC 4526 82 4567/8 Vir G-Sc 12:36.5 +11:15 ~11 4.6x2.1 "Siamese Twins" interacting galaxies 83 4699 Vir G-Sa 12:49.0 -08:40 9.6 3.5x2.7 small & bright; look for NGC 4697 3 deg N 84 4762 Vir G-SB0 12:52.9 +11:14 10.2 8.7x1.6 flattest galaxy known; 4754 in same field 85 5746 Vir G-Sb 14:44.9 +01:57 10.6 7.9x1.7 fine edge-on near 109 Virginis 86 5466 Boo GC 14:05.5 +28:32 9.1 11.0 loose class XII; like rich open cl.; faint 87 5907 Dra G-Sb 15:15.9 +56:19 10.4 12.3x1.8 !! fine edge-on with dust lane; near 5866 88 6503 Dra G-Sb 17:49.4 +70:09 10.2 6.2x2.3 bright elongated spiral 89 6543 Dra PN 17:58.6 +66:38 8.8 18" Cat's Eye Nebula; with 11 mag central star

Summer


No. NGC Con Type R.A. Dec m_v Size Remarks
90 6210 Her PN 16:44.5 +23:49 9.3 14" very starlike blue planetary 91 6369 Oph PN 17:29.3 -23:46 10.4 30" Little Ghost; look for NGC 6309 nearby 92 6572 Oph PN 18:12.1 +06:51 9.0 8" tiny bright blue oval 93 6633 Oph OC 18:27.7 +06:34 4.6 27 sparse wide field cluster; IC 4756 nearby 94 6712 Sct GC 18:53.1 -08:42 8.2 7.2 small globular; look for IC 1295 in field 95 6781 Aql PN 19:18.4 +06:33 11.8 1'49" pale version of M97 96 6819 Cyg OC 19:41.3 +40:11 7.3 5 150*; faint but rich cluster in Milky Way 97 6826 Cyg PN 19:44.8 +50:31 9.8 30" !! Blinking Planetary; 10.4-mag central star 98 6888 Cyg SNR? 20:12.0 +38:21 20x10 Crescent Nebula; faint; use nebula filter 99a 6960 Cyg SNR 20:45.7 +30:43 70x6 !! Veil Nebula: west half; use filter ! 99b 6992/5 Cyg SNR 20:56.4 +31:43 78x8 !! Veil Nebula: east half; use filter ! 100 7000 Cyg EN 20:58.8 +44:20 120x100 !! North America N; use filter & low mag. 101 7027 Cyg PN? 21:07.1 +42:14 10.4 15" unusual protoplanetary nebula 102 6445 Sgr PN 17:49.2 -20:01 11.8 34" small, bright and annular; near M23 103 6520 Sgr OC 18:03.4 -27:54 8.1 6 60*; small; dark neb. B86 in same field 104 6818 Sgr PN 19:44.0 -14:09 9.9 17" Little Gem; annular; NGC 6822 0.75 deg S 105 6802 Vul OC 19:30.6 +20:16 8.8 3.2 at east end of Brocchi's cluster Cr 399 106 6940 Vul OC 20:34.6 +28:18 6.3 31 60*; fairly rich cluster in Milky Way 107 6939 Cep OC 20:31.4 +60:38 7.8 8 80*; very rich; 108 6946 Cep G-Sc 20:34.8 +60:09 8.9 11.0x9.8 faint, diffuse face-on spiral near 6939 109 7129 Cep RN 21:44.4 +66:10 8x7 faint reflection neb. around several stars 110 40 Cep PN 00:13.0 +72:32 10.2 37" unusual red planetary; 11.6 mag central star

Key:

No., NGC
RASC and NGC Catalog number
Con
Constellation
Type
Object type. PN: Planetary Nebula, SNR: Supernova Remnant, EN: (diffuse) Emission Nebula, RN: (diffuse) Reflection Nebula, E/RN: Diffuse emission and reflection Nebula, OC: Open Cluster, GC: Globular Cluster, G-: Galaxy, with Hubble type given
R.A., Dec
Coordinates for epoch J2000.0
m_v, size
Visual magnitude and apparent dimension (arc min unless indicated as arc sec)
Remarks
Descriptive remarks


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    Last Modification: January 6, 2005