IC 5181
DSS image of IC 5181
Overlaid DSS image of IC 5181, 30' x 30' with north at top and west to the right

Aladin viewer for the region around IC 5181
ESO 289-1, PGC 68317

Type  Galaxy
Magnitude  11.69
Size  1.953' x 0.625' @ 75°
Right Ascension  22h 13' 21.6"  (2000)
Declination  46° 1' 3" S
Constellation  Grus
Classification  S0??
Observing Notes

Harold Corwin

This is in a group of galaxies with NGC 7232 and 7233, and those that we now call "NGC 7232A" and "NGC 7232B". Lunt's position is poor (+1.1 minutes of time and +7 arcminutes off), and it is possible that he actually saw "NGC 7232A". Lunt has unfortunately left us no description of his object.

However, the galaxy we usually take as IC 5181 is a large, bright nearly edgewise object, with a considerably higher surface brightness than the suffixed NGC object. It is more likely to have been picked up in a search for a comet (as Lunt was doing) than the fainter, smaller "NGC 7232A". See IC 5224 for a bit more on Lunt's observations with the Cape Town 18-inch telescope.

With that caveat, I'll take the standard identification of IC 5181 as correct. And I have to ask -- what was John Herschel doing when this galaxy went by? It is not only brighter, but has a considerably higher surface brightness than NGC 7232 itself.
IC Notes by Harold Corwin
Other Data Sources for IC 5181
Nearby objects for IC 5181
5 objects found within 60'
IC 5171 NGC 7232 NGC 7232A
NGC 7232B NGC 7233
Credits...

Drawings, descriptions, and CCD photos are copyright Andrew Cooper unless otherwise noted, no usage without permission.

A complete list of credits and sources can be found on the about page

IC 5181