Ngc 7205

[The Mekon]

Not enough posts in this section! So here we are reporting on an observation last night from my back yard in Bowral. Town lights everywhere, but if I look straight up the skies are still quite good. observing with my AT106 refractor at 99X, the galaxy 7205 on the Indus/Tucana border was quite easily noted between 2 stars. I drew a little picture to make sure then googled the galaxy number. Sure enough one of our members "Placidus" had recently imaged this galaxy and the drawing and photo positions matched. Real pleased with this one as it is an 11th mag galaxy and to see with a 4" I consider a good obs.
Anyone else spot this galaxy with a small scope?

[Kunama]

You're right about the lack of observation posts John. Picking out NGC7205 in a 4" scope is very well done indeed.

[SteveG]

I don't have a small scope observation, but here's how it looked through an 18".

At 228x NGC 7205 was surprisingly bright and large, elongated 2:1 WSW-ENE, 3.5'x1.8', increases to a small bright core. The outer halo on the west-southwest end seems to be more extensive but has a noticeably lower surface brightness. A single spiral arm appears to emerge from the core on the north side and wrap around clockwise towards the east! Situated between mag 8.9 SAO 247319 4' SW and a mag 10 star 4' NE. This galaxy straddles the border of Tucana and Indus and is close to the southwest corner of Grus.

[The Mekon]

Thanks Steve, I had my 18" out on 7205 the night after the first post to confirm my observation. My thoughts were similar to yours, but I failed to note the suggestion of a spiral arm - will have to look harder!

I will also say that Steve's description is much better than that in Sky Atlas 2000 Companion. Too much of "pretty bright" or "quite bright" does not always match the observation.