NGC 6207 - Galaxy in Hercules

[DarkerSky]

NGC 6207 is the faint galaxy close into the M13 globular cluster. I captured this last night (9 May) with my 16" at x215 magnification. TFOV is 0.125 degrees.

The galaxy appeared as an elongated patch of light that bent slightly like a boomerang in its northern section. Its form seemed more gathered at the northern end vs. its extended southern end. A central brightening was seen but was offset to the western side of the gx. Could be a foreground star? Also a slight mottling / brighter node was seen to the north of the core.

Galaxy is approx 45mly away. Visual magnitude is 11.6

The sketch is best seen in a darkened room for max contrast.

[mdstuart]

Well done you picked out a lot of detail! I find it a challenge just to pick out in my ten inch...

I must give it another try.

Mark

[DarkerSky]

Yeah I was surprised at how much I got to see. The elongation and core were the more obvious pieces of the jigsaw. After a few mins I started to detect the subtle curve. The northern brightening and mottling were only coming through in vague hints in those micro-moments of good seeing.

Definately recommend putting some decent magnifcation on it.

[Doc]

Amazing sketch Seb.

Very similar to what I saw if I remember right as I didn't sketch it. Yours is alot more pronounced as your skies are darker but I also saw the curved shape but saw no core I counted the broghtening off centre as a star, infact it looked slightly away from the galaxy, it's different in your picture as your galaxy extends towards the star.

[DarkerSky]

Amazing sketch Seb.

Very similar to what I saw if I remember right as I didn't sketch it. Yours is alot more pronounced as your skies are darker but I also saw the curved shape but saw no core I counted the broghtening off centre as a star, infact it looked slightly away from the galaxy, it's different in your picture as your galaxy extends towards the star.

Thanks Mick. Yes, the 'core' of the galaxy I think is an optical illusion as it is this star that is in the foreground gives an appearance of an off-centre core. That's my interpretation at least from what ive read from others. I wonder if our different levels of sky darkness might have had an effect on where we each saw the star in relation to the galaxy's fuzz?

[callisto]

Well done Seb

Mark.