Harold Corwin

IC 297 is probably one of the two double stars that I've listed in the table. Swift found it on 15 Sept 1888, and called it "eeeF, pS, R; 4 sts in line s; F * p close sp [sic]; eee dif." Swift's note as printed is not very clear about the star to the west or southwest. Dreyer took it to mean southwest.

The line of four stars is unmistakeable at 03 09 48, +41 52.0 (1950), but there are two candidate double stars to the north. The eastern of the two doubles more or less matches Swift's note with a faint star to the southwest, while the western double has TWO stars southwest and one southeast. So, while that western double is brighter, the field matches the eastern better.

There are, by the way, no galaxies in the area with stars matching Swift's note. In particular, the line of four stars is just where Swift places it with respect to his nominal position -- but there is no galaxy there.

My earlier guess at the identification was a much fainter double star much closer to Swift's position. But this double, I recognize now (Feb 2005) is much too faint for Swift to have seen. You can see it yourself, though, on the DSS at 03 09 58.5, +41 55 37 (1950).

― IC Notes by Harold Corwin

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