Sky & Telescope - January 2021 - 29

UGC 4773

NGC 2744
NGC 2761

NGC 2749
NGC 2752
NGC 2745
NGC 2751

NGC 2749
A little less than 5° east of Delta Cancri, NGC 2749 is the brightest galaxy in our next set. The 11.8-magnitude elliptical dominates a collection of six companions that ﬁt in a 45′ ﬁeld of view.
Close by to the northeast is the 13.7-magnitude edge-on barred
spiral NGC 2752 and to the southeast the 14.3-magnitude spiral
NGC 2751 - its relatively high surface brightness makes spotting
it easier. Another object with enough surface brightness to be
detectable is the tiny, nearly stellar NGC 2745, which lies 10.5′
southwest of NGC 2749.

NGC 2795
Our last stop is a challenging foursome some 2.6° east-southeast
of the NGC 2749 group. The 12.8-magnitude elliptical NGC 2795
(not shown) forms a pair with NGC 2794, a 13.2-magnitude barred
spiral. Images reveal that they outshine a smattering of close-by,
faint, mostly anonymous galaxies, but in backyard telescopes even
the two principals are faint and somewhat difficult. Fourteenthmagnitude NGC 2797, situated 7.3′ northeast of NGC 2795,
appears small and round and makes a pair with an 11.9-magnitude
star about 3′ to its southwest. The fourth member is the 13.2-magnitude spiral IC 2454, 11½′ north of NGC 2795.

There's a tendency, I think, for observers to get comfortable
with a cache of favorite objects, and there's no doubt that a
typical January hit list is overloaded with the star clusters and
nebulae that populate our own corner of the Milky Way. For
some observers ﬁnding galaxies in the January sky might be

Shifting our view 13.5′ northwest of NGC 2749 brings us to the
double galaxy system NGC 2744. Its small companion 0.4′ south
of its center isn't visible. Even the principal galaxy, a barred spiral,
appears faint. A little more than ½° east-northeast of NGC 2749,
NGC 2761 is another faint member with a relatively high surface
brightness rendering it detectable as a small, round spot. Perhaps
the most elusive object in this ﬁeld is the faint and slender edge-on
galaxy UGC 4773. I could barely see the 13.7-magnitude sliver that
lies about 28½′ north-northeast of NGC 2749 in my 18-inch Dob.

a unique experience. It's a satisfyingly challenging departure
from the routine that's perhaps enhanced a bit by exploring
not just other galaxies but groups of galaxies at a single glance.
I'm always moved to ﬂights of fancy when viewing other
galaxies - contemplating the unimaginably vast real estate
contained in those tiny, faint smudges of light and their
countless stars, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. Life?
Who knows. The idea is rather mind-blowing, and that's why
I've recommended straying from the usual January targets. To
paraphrase Robert Frost: There were two paths through the
winter sky tonight, and we chose the one less traveled. And
that makes all the difference.

Contributing Editor TED FORTE enjoys the dark skies of his
retirement home in southeastern Arizona. Observing the entire
New General Catalogue accessible from his observatory with
his 30-inch Dobsonian is just one of his many observing goals.
sk yandtelescope.org * JANUARY 2 021

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Sky & Telescope - January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - January 2021