There are 25 NGC objects in Lacerta. 20 are galaxies and 5 are open clusters. There are 4 IC objects: 1 galaxy, 1 planetary nebula, and 2 open clusters. My work was spread over two observing years, 2015 and 2016. Late summer and early autumn are ideal times to observe in this area. Objects listed are in catalogue order, as observed in my 12" Dob.
The NGC
eg 7197: 1'.6 x 0'.8: Vis. 12.8; SB 12.9: Spotted at 100x. At 136x it appears very elongated. It is pretty large, rather bright, and has a very faint star preceding. At 187x and 250x it is pretty bright and impressive. A rich and bright star field lies just north and north following.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7197.jpg
oc 7209: 15'; Mag. 7.7; 98 *s; Br. * Mag. 9: This beautiful, large cluster lies just south of HT, a yellow star of Mag. 6.5. I viewed the cluster at length at 43x, 60x, 83x, 100x and 136x. It is a widely scattered group, having many bright members. At 100x I counted 80 stars. About 30 of them form a curving, omega-shaped feature in the midst. It is often a double line of stars. This line(s) contains many of the brightest stars. At 136x the cluster is very bright and very widely scattered, just fitting into my field of view. At 43x this is also a very attractive cluster. Highly recommended for 6" and larger.
A nice view of oc 7209 in Lacerta.
http://cs.astronomy.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/telligent-evolution-components-attachments/13-60-00-00-00-43-08-04/dso_2D00_ngc_2D00_7209.jpg
eg 7223: 1'.4 1'.1: Vis. 12.2; SB 12.5: Viewed at 136x, 187x, and 200x. It is aligned with 3 faint stars, all in a fairly straight line. The galaxy appears involved with the middle star. It is quite large, very oval, and seen well with averted vision.
NGC 7223.
http://www.astrophotos.net/images/galaxies/ngc%207223-lrgb-M10.jpg
eg 7227: 1'.3 x 0'.6: Vis. 13.5; SB 13.1: 28 was spotted first, at 100x and then at 136x, 187x and
eg 7228: Vis. 13.5; SB 14.4: 2'.1 x 1'.2: 200x. 27 was seen north following 2 bright stars in a line pointing towards 28. The galaxies make a very faint pair, at least near the end of a damp observing night.
eg 7231: 1'.9 x 0'.7: Vis. 13; SB 13.2: This was faintly visible at 60x. It is easy to locate at 100x. A bright and wide double star precedes it. A very rich star field faint, immediately folows. 136x and 187x give the best views. It is pretty large and oval.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7248.jpg
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7228.jpg
eg 7231: 1'.9 x 0'.7: Vis. 13; SB 13.2: This was faintly visible at 60x. It is easy to locate at 100x. A bright and wide double star precedes it. A very rich star field faint, immediately folows. 136x and 187x give the best views. It is pretty large and oval.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7231.jpg
eg 7240: 0'.6 x 0'.6: Vis 14.2; SB 13: 42 was actually spotted at 60x! It was viewed well at 100x,
eg 7242: 2'.3 x 1'.7: Vis. 13.2; SB 14.6: 136x, and 187x. There appear to be two faint stars involved, or very close. It is large and oval, best seen with averted vision. 40 was easily spotted at 187x with a.v. It is small, but not too much so. Later, it could be glimpsed even at 100x, though here it is quite small.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7242.jpg
oc 7243: 30'; Mag. 6.4; 40 *s; Br. * Mag. 8: The night I observed this fine cluster I was able to view it in three different instruments. In my 4 1/4" Astroscan RFT at 16x, several brighter stars resolved in two different areas. Best view in this scope was using an 8 MM eyepiece, giving 56x. Moving to Deb's 6" Dob, views were perfect! The cluster looks remarkable at 42x and is fully resolved. In the 12" Dob at 43x the cluster is very large and very bright. It is a clumpy cluster, having vast areas with no stars. 60x and 83x fill the field of view with stars. I counted about 80 obvious ones. Recommended especially for small apertures. STF 2890 is right in the center (9.4-9.7/ 9.4 "; also a 9.4 at 73"). The main pair is split at 43x. The further member tends to get lost in the cluster.
http://www.perseus.gr/Images/dso-ngc-7243.jpg
http://www.univie.ac.at/webda/dss/ngc7245.png
oc 7245: 5'; Mag. 9.2; 169 *s; Br. * mag. 12.8: The cluster is hazy at 60x, just preceding a mag. 9 star. At 100x aver yiew stars are resolved over top the haze. 136x resolves a north/south line of faint stars. 187x resolves many more stars, but there is still unresolved haze back there. 250x and 272x give the best views, showing a very tightly packed central area. It is nicely resolved! There were also good views at 375x. About 40 or 50 stars are resolved.
oc King 9 lies north following oc 7245.
eg 7248: 1'.7 x 0'.9: Vis. 12.4; SB 12.7: Spotted at 136x, it appeared very small and oval. The galaxy has close, faint pair of stars following and preceding. 187x, 200x, and 250x show a bright center. The object seems to have an odd shape, like a heart.
eg 7250: 1'.7 x 0'.8: Vis. 12.6; SB 12.8: Spotted at 100x, nearly touching a mag. 11 star. It was very elongated and very bright. 136x and 187x provided good view with averted vision. 200x shows a large elliptical galaxy that continues south right into the 11 mag. star. This is a recommended object in a 12" scope or higher.
http://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc72a.htm
eg 7263: 0'.8 x 0'.7: Vis. 14.6; SB 13.8: Not difficult to locate at 100x. It is the apex of a triangle with 2 faint stars south preceding. Much easier than 7264.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7263.jpg
eg 7264: 2'.2 x 0'.3: Vis. 13.8; SB 13.2: This is a tricky object see in a 12", and only averted vision gives effective views. The needle galaxy is alongside 2 faint stars that precedei ti, and though these stars don't give off much light, they do still interfere enough. Spotted at 100x and glimpsed through 250x, usually only the central area is seen. However, on occasion a thin slash can be caught, extending beyond the 2 stars.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7264.jpg
eg 7265: 2'.4 x 1'.9: Vis. 12.2; SB 13.7: This one is big and bright, spotted easily at 60x and observed through 250x. It was quite large, oval, and has a bright core. Along with its accompanying rather bright star pattern, the galaxy is a minor showpiece in a 12". UGC 12007 can also be glimpsed at 200x and 250x, if one knows exactly where to look.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7265.jpg
eg 7273: 0'.8 x 0'.5: Vis. 13.8; SB 12.7: 74 and 76 can be seen at 100x. 74 is easy and bright,
eg 7274: 1'.5 x 1'.5: Vis. 12.8: SB 13.6: and 76 is noticeably smaller and fainter. They make a
eg 7276: 0'.9 x 0'.9: Vis. 13.9; SB 13.8: nice pair in an area teaming with galaxies. At 187x, all three can be glimpsed in the same field, north to south. 73, despite being the smallest and faintest of the 3, is not that difficult to detect with averted vision. Definitely worth a visit.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7274.jpg
NGC 7273, 74, and 75.
eg 7282: 2'.5 x 1': Vis. 13.7; SB 14.5: Located at 100x, though barely glimpsed in this range. At 136x it was large and oval, preceding 2 bright stars. 187x gives better views, as the galaxy now appears large and very oval. A very faint star appears at the following end. Views are still fair at 200x. In this range, a faint star also appears at the preceding end.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7282.jpg
oc 7295: 2'; 20 *s; Br. * mag. 10: A poor cluster, it was noted at 60x, where a few stars are located near a mag. 9.5 star. It is sparse and poor and high power. Perhaps 7 stars were seen. More like a wide multiple star than an open cluster. It's important to note that Uranometria considers this group different from 96, below. Many sites consider them the same object.
oc 7296: 3'; Mag. 9.7; 20 *s; Br. * mag. 10: This small cluster is already attractive at 60x. A dozen brighter stars are seen, led by a mag. 10 star. At 136x I counted 20 stars, including a half circle following the bright star. South of the circle is a dense line, roughly E/W. 187x shows four faint stars withing the circle, and another one extending it around further. The group seems larger than 3'. Not the same object as 7295 (see Uranometria).
http://ocl.sai.msu.ru/media/catalog/image/ngc7296.jpg
eg 7330: 1'.4 x 1'.4: Vis. 12.2; SB13: Located at 100x, and observed successfully at 136x, 187x, and 200x. Though at 100x it appeared to beflaring oval, it was round at higher powers, and pretty bright. A bright star is preceding. Later it could be seen at 60x, but it appeared nearly stellar here. The center is a bit brighter at high power.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7330.jpg
eg 7379: 1'.1 x 0'.8: Vis. 13.4; SB 13: Located at 100x, where it is small and faint. 136x gives a better view, and it appears larger. 187x gives an even better view. The galaxy lines up with 2 stars, south and following, shown well at 272x. High power shows it as oval, with a bright center.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7379.jpg
eg 7395: 1'.2 x 1'.1: Vis. 13.8; SB 14: Spotted at 100x, it was round, faint, but pretty big. It sits very close to a faint star. 136x shows it well, but 187x is even better. It is fading at 200x.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7395.jpg
eg 7426: 1'.7 x 1'.4: Vis. 12.3; SB 13.2: Spotted easily at 60x, despite its proximity to H 975, a bright double star (5.7-9.2/52"). The galaxy is oval. The view at 136x includes the colourful double star, and is quite nice. It has a bright center. A very good pairing of objects.
http://www.ngcicproject.org/dss/n/7/n7426.jpg
eg 7476 pairs nicely with double star H 975.
The IC
Oc I. 1434: 7'; Mag. 9; 40 *s; Br. * mag. 12: A very fine and unique cluster, one of this observing night's pleasant surprises! About 60 or more faint star4s an be seen with wonderful views up to 1878x. There are 4 bright stars on the south edge, and another one in the north. The central area is small and dense, resolving nicely in the 12". There is much less resolution and more haze when I stopped down to 8". The cluster features 2curving star streams, both following the central area, The stream to the south has fewer stars and curves south. the north stream is larger and curves north. Beautiful at 136x!
Oc I. 1442: 5'; mag. 9.1; 104 *s (!); Br. * mag. 12: There is nothing seen in Uranometria's location. However, there is a notable cluster south preceding their spot, preceding the 2 brighter stars and between them. This consists of a circlet of stars with a tail that precedes it. Views are good at 100x through 187x. Certainly not 104 stars.
eg I. 5180: 1' x 0'.8: Vis. 13.3; SB 13: Spotted at 100x, it is faint and round. At 136x and 187x it is slightly oval. It has a faint star preceding.
pn I. 5217: 15"; Vis. 11.3; Central * Mag. 15.5: This tiny object was suspicious at 136x due to its colour, shape, and texture. 187x shows a very tiny disc, much fainter than the 10.4 mag. star 2' south. At 250x it is round, pretty bright, and small. 272x with a Skyglow filter is best, where it now appears nearly as bright as the 10.4 mag. star.
I sincerely hope you enjoy your journey through this wonderful constellation! Clear skies!
Mapman Mike
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