2014-08-15

NGC 834 - A Private Little Galaxy

Photographing NGC 834, I found it to be a tiny galaxy from our view here on earth.  It certainly was not very bright, but it is far from the dimmest in the NGC.  It has an interesting shape and features.  Notice the slightly irregular shape.  There is a brighter area near the center, and a dark crescent-shaped lane above that bright area.  I wondered what Hubble would make of it, but there is no  image of NGC 834 in the HST index. 

What I did find really interesting about this galaxy is a little note on the NGC IC Project pages.  "This was discovered by WH, who remained its sole observer at the time the NGC was compiled.  - Dr. Harold G. Corwin, Jr."

Herschel discovered NGC 834 in 1786.  The NGC was compiled in 1888.  That means that for 102 the only human eyes to see this galaxy was Herschel.  Such a private little galaxy.

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