NGC 247
Intermediate Spiral Galaxy
aka PGC 2758, MCG -4-3-5, ESO 540 22
Integrated Visual Magnitude: 9.7
Apparent Diameter: 20.9' x 5.4'
Mean Surface Brightness: 23.5 mag/arc-sec2

Minimum requirements to view: 4-inch under dark skies
Another member of the Sculptor galaxy group, the nearly edge-on spiral NGC 247 is similar in size to its famous neighbor NGC 253, but it is much fainter.

About 5o north of the Sculptor Galaxy, look for NGC 247 as a very faint smudge of light.  Use low magnifications (~50x or less).  The nuclear region is just barely visible in a six-inch under dark skies.  Larger scopes may show some mottling in the surrounding haze.


The view in a six-inch at 50x. N is down, E is right.

This image was generated from the Palomar Sky Survey using SkyView and shows roughly the same area.
 
Millennium Star Atlas Vol I Chart 340

Sky Atlas 2000 Chart 18
Uranometria 2000 Vol II Chart 306

Herald-Bobroff Astroatlas B-06 C-58

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