Type | Unknown |
---|---|
Magnitude | Right Ascension | 4h 15' 5.5" (2000) |
Declination | 13° 14' 20" S |
Constellation | Eridanus |
Harold Corwin
NGC 1538 is possibly IC 2045, or perhaps -- a bit more likely -- IC 2047. IC 2045 (no identity problem) is the brightest galaxy in a group. Stone's sketch (at least my copy of the sketch), however, seems to point to IC 2047, the second brightest.
Unfortunately, his position, as poor as usual, falls near yet another galaxy in the group. It was this object that was probably taken to be NGC 1538 by Howe in 1900 (Howe only mentions that his two new nebulae, IC 2045 and 2047, are near NGC 1538), and certainly by Reinmuth in 1928.
So, the NGC identification is not at all certain. Observing logic suggests IC 2045, the sketch suggests IC 2047, and Stone's crude position has led to the third galaxy. All three are in the table of positions.― NGC Notes by Harold Corwin
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