QuickLinks: 6300, 6301, 6302, 6303, 6304, 6305, 6306, 6307, 6308, 6309, 6310, 6311, 6312, 6313, 6314, 6315, 6316, 6317, 6318, 6319, 6320, 6321, 6322, 6323, 6324, 6325, 6326, 6327, 6328, 6329, 6330, 6331, 6332, 6333, 6334, 6335, 6336, 6337, 6338, 6339, 6340, 6341, 6342, 6343, 6344, 6345, 6346, 6347, 6348, 6349
Page last updated Aug 23, 2023 (Added Caldwell & othe IDs for NGC 6303)
Page last updated Sept 25, 2022
Completed entry for NGC 6317
Last prior update June 19, 2020
Added Dreyer NGC entries
WORKING 6300: Adding/updating Steinicke listings/data, checking IDs
NGC 6300 (= PGC 60001)
Discovered (Jun 30, 1826) by James Dunlop
Also observed (Aug 7, 1834)) by John Herschel
A 10th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBb?) in Ara (RA 17 16 59.7, Dec -62 49 13)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6300 (= GC 4273 = JH 3668, (Dunlop #??), 1860 RA 17 03 52, NPD 152 39.1) is "faint, very large, very little extended, among stars, 2 stars involved".
Discovery Notes: Neither Herschel nor Dreyer was aware of Dunlop's prior observation; but it is now thought that this was one of Dunlop's objects, hence the credit in parentheses; but since Steinecke lists no reference number, although willing to accept the statement, this caveat will remain until I can find out more about how the supposed identification was made.
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.3 by 2.8? arcmin
Above, a 12 arcmin wide image centered on NGC 6300 (Image Credit above and below Wikisky cutout posted by Jim Riffle) Below, a 6 arcmin wide image of the galaxy
Below, a 2.5 arcmin wide HST image of part of the galaxy (Image Credit Hubble Legacy Archive)
NGC 6301 (= IC 4643 = PGC 59681)
Discovered (Jun 11, 1788) by William Herschel (and later listed as NGC 6301)
Discovered (Oct 6, 1896) by Johann Palisa (and later listed as IC 4643)
A 13th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type Sc?) in Hercules (RA 17 08 32.7, Dec +42 20 21)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6301 (= GC 4274 = WH IV 57, 1860 RA 17 04 10, NPD 47 29.3) is "faint, stellar".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.8 by 1.1? arcmin
Above, a 12 arcmin wide SDSS image centered on NGC 6301 Below, a 2.4 arcmin wide SDSS image of the galaxy
NGC 6302, The Butterfly (or Bug) Nebula
(= C69 = PK 349+01.1 = ESO 392-PN005 = "PGC 3517780")
Not observed (Jun 5, 1826) by James Dunlop
Discovered (1880) by Edward Barnard
Also observed (probably between 1880 and 1883) by Lewis Swift
Also observed (date?) by Edward Pickering (while listed as NGC 6302)
A magnitude 9.6 planetary nebula in Scorpius (RA 17 13 44.1, Dec -37 06 12)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6302 (Barnard, 1860 RA 17 04 17, NPD 126 56.1) is "pretty bright, extended east-west (Swift: triple)". The first IC notes "Seems to be Dunlop 567". The second IC adds "Planetary, 9th magnitude (Pickering). Drawing by Barnard, A.N. 4136".
Note About The Nickname: The original nickname for this object was suggested by Barnard, who stated that based on its appearance, it should be called the "Bug Nebula". However, either because that doesn't sound particularly nice, or because of the discovery that a high-resolution image shows the planetary as more like a winged object, the "Bug" has been all but replaced by the "Butterfly" in modern terminology.
Discovery Note (1): Per Gottlieb, Swift's observation is noted by Barnard in a paper written in February 1884 in which he states that he discovered the object in 1880 with a 5-inch refractor, then notes that with his 16-inch telescope, Swift described it as a triple nebula, extending east and west ("nearly perpendicular to the meridian"). Since Swift must have made the observation after Barnard but before Barnard published his paper, his observation was almost certainly made between 1880 and 1883, but I cannot find any mention of Swift's observation in his own papers, so the observation was probably reported to Barnard in one of the numerous letters they wrote to each other (in which case Swift's observation was probably made closer to 1880 than 1884).
Discovery Note (2): The suggstion that this object is Dunlop 567 was suggested by Hartung; but Gottlieb notes that Glen Cozen's exhaustive study of Dunlop's observations shows that Dunlop 567, which is over a degree away from NGC 6302, is only a small group of stars, and has nothing to do with this planetary.
Discovery Note (3): In the paper referred to by Dreyer in the second IC Barnard notes that he discovered this object in 1880, and that "subsequently Swift... observed it to be triple," whence Dreyer's original NGC note. However, the observations referred to in the second IC were made in July and August of 1892, and in A.N. 4136 Barnard refers to it as NGC 6302, and shows and describes the complex (supposedly triple) nature of the object in detail. Despite this, it appears to be a common error to presume that the object was unknown until the publication of the NGC in 1888, or studied in any detail until 1907. But although Barnard's failure to publish his 1892 observations until 1906 may have made its detailed properties widely known only at that late date, its existence and even (thanks to Swift's observation) general nature were known well before then.
PGC Designation Note: For purposes of completeness, LEDA assigned a PGC designation to this object, even though it isn't a galaxy; but a search of the database for that designation returns no result, so it is shown in quotes.
Physical Information: Planetary nebulae are the shrouds cast off by red giants, before they collapse to become white dwarfs. In the case of the Butterfly Nebula (also less attractively known as the Bug Nebula) this must have been a recent event, as the white dwarf at its center (completely hidden by a dusty disc, seen edge-on at the center of the nebula) is exceptionally hot (approximately 250 thousand Kelvins, or more than 450 thousand Fahrenheit degrees). The Butterfly is about 3800 light-years away. Given that, its apparent size of 4.8 by 1.7 arcmin corresponds to about 5.3 light years.
Above, a 12 arcmin wide image centered on NGC 6302 (overlay on a DSS background) (Image Credit & © Milton and Elaine Fort, Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona; used by permission) Below, a 5 arcmin wide image of the planetary nebula (overlay on a DSS background) (Image Credit ESO/IDA/Danish 1.5 m/R. Gendler, A. Hornstrup and J.-E. Ovaldsen)
Below, a 2.4 by 2.85 arcmin wide HST image of NGC 6302 (Image Credit NASA, ESA, Hubble SM4 ERO Team)
NGC 6303 (= PGC 59573)
Discovered (Oct 14, 1884) by Lewis Swift
Also observed (date?) by Guillaume Bigourdan
A 14th-magnitude elliptical galaxy (type E4?) in Draco (RA 17 05 02.8, Dec +68 49 40)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6303 (Swift list I (#54), 1860 RA 17 05 06, NPD 21 27.6) is "extremely faint, pretty large, much extended, nearly between 2 stars". The second IC lists a corrected RA (per Bigourdan) of 17 05 36.
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.3 by 0.8? arcmin.
NGC 6304 (= GCL 56)
Discovered (Apr 30, 1786) by William Herschel
Also observed (date?) by John Herschel
An 8th-magnitude globular cluster (type VI) in Ophiuchus (RA 17 14 32.5, Dec -29 27 42)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6304 (= GC 4275 = JH 3670 = WH I 147, 1860 RA 17 05 40, NPD 119 17.3) is "a globular cluster, bright, considerably large, round, a little brighter middle, well resolved, clearly consisting of stars, stars from 16th magnitude".
Physical Information: Apparent size 8.0? arcmin
NGC 6305 (= PGC 60029)
Discovered (Jul 5, 1836) by John Herschel
A 12th-magitude lenticular galaxy (type E/SB0?) in Ara (RA 17 18 00.9, Dec -59 10 16)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6305 (= GC 4276 = JH 3669, 1860 RA 17 05 46, NPD 149 00.4) is "very faint, very small, round, gradually a little brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.4 by 0.8? arcmin
NGC 6306 (= PGC 59654)
Discovered (Jul 8, 1885) by Lewis Swift
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBab? pec) in Draco (RA 17 07 36.9, Dec +60 43 45)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6306 (Swift list II (#51), 1860 RA 17 05 53, NPD 29 06.0) is "very faint, very small, a little extended".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.0 by 0.3? arcmin
NGC 6307 (= PGC 59655)
Discovered (Oct 27, 1861) by Heinrich d'Arrest
Also observed (date?) by Lewis Swift
A 13th-magnitude lenticular galaxy (type SB0/a?) in Draco (RA 17 07 40.4, Dec +60 45 02)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6307 (= GC 4277, d'Arrest, Swift list II (#??), 1860 RA 17 05 59, NPD 29 04.0) is "very faint, very small, a little extended, 13th magnitude star near to north".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.3 by 1.0? arcmin
NGC 6308 (= PGC 59807)
Discovered (Jun 6, 1863) by Albert Marth
A 13th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBc?) in Hercules (RA 17 11 59.7, Dec +23 22 46)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6308 (= GC 5847, Marth #332, 1860 RA 17 06 08, NPD 66 27) is "very faint, small, round, suddenly brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.1 by 1.0? arcmin
NGC 6309 (= P-K 009+14.1 = "PGC 3517781"), the Box Nebula
Discovered (1876) by Wilhelm Tempel
Also observed by Herbert Howe
A 12th-magnitude planetary nebula in Ophiuchus (RA 17 14 04.3, Dec -12 54 38)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6309 (= GC 5851, Temple list I (#46, V #31), 1860 RA 17 06 12, NPD 102 44.5) is "bright, small, between 2 stars very near". The second IC notes "Close double nebula, 160 degrees, both bright, extremely small (Howe)".
PGC Designation Note: For purposes of completeness, LEDA assigned a PGC designation to this object, even though it isn't a galaxy; but a search of the database for that designation returns no result, so it is shown in quotes.
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.32? arcmin.
Above, a 12 arcmin wide SDSS/NOAO image centered on NGC 6309 (Image Credit Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF) Below, a 2.4 arcmin wide SDSS image of NGC 6309
Below, the same 2.4 arcmin wide field in an NOAO image
Below, a composite of the SDSS/NOAO images above to show more detail
Below, a 23 arcsec wide image of the central part of the planetary nebula (Image Credit Hubble Legacy Archive)
NGC 6310 (= PGC 59662)
Discovered (Oct 27, 1861) by Heinrich d'Arrest
A 13th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type Sb?) in Draco (RA 17 07 57.3, Dec +60 59 25)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6310 (= GC 4278, d'Arrest, 1860 RA 17 06 15, NPD 28 50.0) is "faint, pretty large, a little extended".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.9 by 0.4? arcmin
NGC 6311 (= PGC 59750)
Discovered (Jun 30, 1876) by Édouard Stephan
A 14th-magnitude elliptical galaxy (type E0?) in Hercules (RA 17 10 43.5, Dec +41 39 04)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6311 (= GC 5848, Stephan list VII (#11), 1860 RA 17 06 16, NPD 48 10.5) is "pretty bright, very small, round".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.1 by 1.1? arcmin
NGC 6312 (= PGC 59751)
Discovered (Jul 25, 1879) by Édouard Stephan
A 14th-magnitude compact galaxy (type C??) in Hercules (RA 17 10 48.1, Dec +42 17 17)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6312 (Stephan list X (#31), 1860 RA 17 06 24, NPD 47 32.3) is "extremely faint, irregularly round, diffuse, very small star involved".
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.7 by 0.7? arcmin
NGC 6313 (= PGC 59739)
Discovered (Apr 21, 1887) by Lewis Swift
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type Sab?) in Hercules (RA 17 10 20.7, Dec +48 19 54)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6313 (Swift list VI (IX #74), 1860 RA 17 06 42, NPD 41 27.4) is "most extremely faint, very small, a little extended, between 2 faint stars".
Discovery Notes: Swift sent a pre-publication copy of his list VI to Dreyer in 1887, but several objects (including this one) were inadvertently left out of the published version of the list; to correct the omission, most of them were included in Swift's list IX (hence the reference in parentheses).
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.3 by 0.4? arcmin
NGC 6314 (= PGC 59838)
Discovered (Jun 6, 1863) by Albert Marth
A 13th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type Sa?) in Hercules (RA 17 12 38.7, Dec +23 16 14)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6314 (= GC 5849, Marth #333, 1860 RA 17 06 48, NPD 66 33) is "faint, very small, round, brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.6 by 0.7? arcmin
NGC 6315 (= PGC 59843)
Discovered (Jun 6, 1863) by Albert Marth
A 13th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBc?) in Hercules (RA 17 12 46.0, Dec +23 13 25)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6315 (= GC 5850, Marth #334, 1860 RA 17 06 53, NPD 66 36) is "extremely faint, small".
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.8 by 0.6? arcmin
NGC 6316 (= GCL 57)
Discovered (May 24, 1784) by William Herschel
Also observed (date?) by John Herschel
An 8th-magnitude globular cluster (type III) in Ophiuchus (RA 17 16 37.4, Dec -28 08 22)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6316 (= GC 4279 = JH 3671 = WH I 45, 1860 RA 17 07 49, NPD 117 58.5) is "a globular cluster, considerably bright, pretty small, round, gradually very much brighter middle, well resolved, clearly consisting of stars, stars from 16th magnitude".
Physical Information: Apparent size 5.4? arcmin
NGC 6317 (= PGC 59708 = MCG +11-21-009)
Discovered (Jun 2, 1883) by Lewis Swift
Also observed (Sep 7, 1888) by Guillaume Bigourdan
A magnitude 15.1 spiral galaxy (type (R')SB(s)bc) in Draco (RA 17 08 59.3, Dec +62 53 53)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6317 (Swift list I (#55), 1860 RA 17 08 01, NPD 26 55.6) is "most extremely faint, small, round, faint star near; south-preceding (southwestern) of 2," the other being NGC 6319. The second IC lists a corrected RA (per Bigourdan) of 17 07 48. The NGC position precesses to RA 17 09 13.5, Dec +62 54 00, 14 seconds of time due east of the galaxy listed above, and given the limitations of 19th-century visual observations the description is a perfect fit to that galaxy, so it is hardly surprising that Bigourdan recognized it as Swift's object (Bigourdan's position precesses to RA 17 09 00.6 Dec +62 53 58, only a second of time to the east of the galaxy's center and well within its eastern outline), and the identification of Swift's I #55 as NGC 6317 is absolutely certain.
Discovery Note: Per Gottlieb, Swift discovered this object while still testing and adjusting the telescope at Warner Observatory, and did not notice what became NGC 6319 until nearly two years later, so the note about that galaxy's presence must have been added when Swift's first published table was being prepared. Gottlieb also states that neither MCG or UGC (in its notes section, since the UGC doesn't include this object) listed this galaxy as NGC 6317.
Physical Information: Based on a recessional velocity relative to the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation of 8075 km/sec (and H0 = 70 km/sec/Mpc), a straightforward calculation indicates that NGC 6317 is about 375 to 380 million light-years away. However, for objects at such distances we should take into account the expansion of the Universe during the time it took their light to reach us. Doing that shows that the galaxy was about 365 million light-years away at the time the light by which we see it was emitted, about 370 million years ago (the difference between the two numbers being due to the expansion of the intervening space during the light-travel time). Given that and its apparent size of about 0.9 by 0.55 arcmin (from the images below), the galaxy is about 95 thousand light-years across.
Classification Note: LEDA lists this as a ringed galaxy, but the outer ring seems pretty weak on the southern side so I have listed it as a partial ring; and although both LEDA and NED list this as type "c", and the flocculent nature of its arms argue for that, their primary structure is more typical of type "b", so I have listed this as type b c, indicating something in-between the two classes, and probably more on the "c" side than the "b" side. But this sort of uncertainty in describing things is pretty typical, so the most important points are that it is a barred spiral with strong arms and a noticeable outer ring.
Above, a 12 arcmin wide SDSS image centered on NGC 6317, also showing NGC 6319 Below, a 1.0 arcmin wide SDSS image of the galaxy
NGC 6318 (= OCL 1004)
Discovered (May 13, 1826) by James Dunlop
Also observed (date?) by John Herschel
A 12th-magnitude open cluster (type III2p) in Scorpius (RA 17 16 13.4, Dec -39 25 26)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6318 (= GC 4280 = JH 3672, Dunlop 522, 1860 RA 17 08 04±, NPD 129 17.2) is "a cluster, pretty large, rich, round, gradually brighter middle, stars from 12th to 14th magnitude".
Physical Information: Apparent size 5.0? arcmin
NGC 6319 (= PGC 59717)
Discovered (May 14, 1885) by Lewis Swift
Also observed by Guillaume Bigourdan
A 13th-magnitude lenticular galaxy (type E/S0?) in Draco (RA 17 09 44.1, Dec +62 58 23)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6319 (Swift list I (#56), 1860 RA 17 08 07, NPD 26 51.4) is "very faint, very small, round, a little brighter middle, northeastern of 2", the other being NGC 6317. The second IC lists a corrected RA (per Bigourdan) of 17 08 35.
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.8 by 0.8? arcmin.
NGC 6320 (= PGC 59852)
Discovered (Jul 27, 1872) by Édouard Stephan
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type Sbc?) in Hercules (RA 17 12 55.6, Dec +40 16 02)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6320 (= GC 5852, Stephan list IV (#1), 1860 RA 17 08 20, NPD 49 34.3) is "extremely faint, 13th magnitude star 0.5 seconds of time to west".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.2 by 0.8? arcmin
NGC 6321 (= PGC 59900)
Discovered (Jul 14, 1871) by Édouard Stephan
A 13th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBbc?) in Hercules (RA 17 14 24.1, Dec +20 18 49)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6321 (= GC 5853, Stephan list II (#13), 1860 RA 17 08 23, NPD 69 31.3) is "extremely faint, irregularly round, pretty small, very little brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.1 by 1.0? arcmin
NGC 6322 (= OCL 1000)
Discovered (Jun 1, 1834) by John Herschel
A 6th-magnitude open cluster (type I2p) in Scorpius (RA 17 18 25.7, Dec -42 56 02)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6322 (= GC 4281 = JH 3673, 1860 RA 17 08 45, NPD 132 43.5) is "a cluster, very large, pretty rich, a little compressed (place is that of northeastern star)".
Physical Information: Apparent size 5.0? arcmin
NGC 6323 (= PGC 59868)
Discovered (Jul 12, 1876) by Édouard Stephan
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type Sab?) in Hercules (RA 17 13 17.9, Dec +43 46 56)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6323 (= GC 5854, Stephan list VII (#12), 1860 RA 17 09 04, NPD 46 03.4) is "extremely faint, very small, difficult".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.1 by 0.4? arcmin
NGC 6324 (= PGC 59583)
Discovered (Dec 12, 1797) by William Herschel
Also observed (date?) by Guillaume Bigourdan
A 13th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type Sbc?) in Ursa Minor (RA 17 05 25.3, Dec +75 24 28)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6324 (= GC 4282 = WH III 945, 1860 RA 17 09 15, NPD 14 23.4) is "very faint, small, extended, small star to south". The second IC lists a corrected RA (per Bigourdan) of 17 10 01.
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.0 by 0.6? arcmin.
NGC 6325 (= GCL 58)
Discovered (May 24, 1835) by John Herschel
A 10th-magnitude globular cluster (type IV) in Ophiuchus (RA 17 17 59.2, Dec -23 45 55)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6325 (= GC 4283 = JH 3676, 1860 RA 17 09 31, NPD 113 35.9) is "pretty faint, large, round, partially resolved (some stars seen)".
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.1? arcmin
NGC 6326 (= P-K 338-08.1 = "PGC 3517782")
Discovered (Aug 26, 1826) by James Dunlop
Also observed (date?) by John Herschel
A 12th-magnitude planetary nebula in Ara (RA 17 20 46.4, Dec -51 45 14)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6326 (= GC 4284 = JH 3675, (Dunlop 381), 1860 RA 17 09 41, NPD 141 35.5) is "a magnificent or otherwise interesting object, a planetary nebula, pretty bright, very small, round".
Discovery Notes: Neither Herschel nor Dreyer realized that Dunlop might have observed this object; but it is now thought that it is his #381, hence the reference in parentheses.
PGC Designation Note: For purposes of completeness, LEDA assigned a PGC designation to this object, even though it isn't a galaxy; but a search of the database for that designation returns no result, so it is shown in quotes.
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.32? arcmin
Above, a 12 arcmin wide DSS image centered on NGC 6326 Below, a ? arcmin wide image of the planetasry nebula (Image Credit ESA/Hubble and NASA)
NGC 6327 (= PGC 59889)
Discovered (Jul 18, 1876) by Édouard Stephan
A 15th-magnitude compact galaxy (type C??) in Hercules (RA 17 14 02.2, Dec +43 38 56)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6327 (= GC 5855, Stephan list VII (#13), 1860 RA 17 09 49, NPD 46 11.3) is "extremely faint, very small, difficult".
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.4 by 0.4? arcmin
NGC 6328 (= PGC 60198)
Discovered (May 2, 1835) by John Herschel
Also observed (date?) by DeLisle Stewart
A 12th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBab?) in Ara (RA 17 23 40.9, Dec -65 00 35)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6328 (= GC 4285 = JH 3674, 1860 RA 17 09 58, NPD 154 51.4) is "very faint, very small, very little extended, gradually a little brighter middle". The second IC notes "extremely faint pair of stars only, one star hazy (DeLisle Stewart)".
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.4 by 1.4? arcmin.
NGC 6329 (= PGC 59894)
Discovered (Jul 11, 1876) by Édouard Stephan
A 13th-magnitude elliptical galaxy (type E0?) in Hercules (RA 17 14 15.1, Dec +43 41 06)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6329 (= GC 5856, Stephan list VII (#14), 1860 RA 17 10 00, NPD 46 09.4) is "very faint, very small, round, brighter middle".
Physical Information: Aparent size 1.8 by 1.8? arcmin
NGC 6330 (= PGC 59961)
Discovered (Jun 12, 1880) by Édouard Stephan0
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBb?) in Hercules (RA 17 15 44.4, Dec +29 24 15)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6330 (Stephan list XI (#14), 1860 RA 17 10 19, NPD 60 26.3) is "extremely faint, small, round".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.5 by 0.6? arcmin
NGC 6331 (= PGC 59513)
Discovered (Dec 20, 1797) by William Herschel
Also observed by Guillaume Bigourdan
A 14th-magnitude elliptical galaxy (type E3?) in Ursa Minor (RA 17 03 34.3, Dec +78 37 47)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6331 (= GC 4286 = WH III 951, 1860 RA 17 10 45, NPD 11 12.7) is "extremely faint, small". The second IC lists a corrected RA (per Bigourdan) of 17 11 31.
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.6 by 0.4? arcmin.
NGC 6332 (= PGC 59927)
Discovered (Jul 11, 1876) by Édouard Stephan
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type Sa?) in Hercules (RA 17 15 02.7, Dec +43 39 37)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6332 (= GC 5857, Stephan list VII (#15), 1860 RA 17 10 48, NPD 46 11.8) is "very faint, oval, irregularly brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.6 by 0.8? arcmin
NGC 6333 (= M9 = GCL 60)
Discovered (May 28, 1764) by Charles Messier (and recorded as M9)
Also observed (date?) by John Herschel
An 8th-magnitude globular cluster (type VIII) in Ophiuchus (RA 17 19 11.8, Dec -18 30 57)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6333 (= GC 4287 = JH 1979 = JH 3677, M 9, 1860 RA 17 11 00, NPD 108 21.9) is "a globular cluster, bright, large, round, extremely compressed middle, well resolved, clearly consisting of stars, stars from 14th magnitude".
Physical Information: About 70 light-years across, M9 looks relatively small because it is near the galactic center, about 25000 light-years from us. Apparent size 12 arcmin.
Above, a ? arcmin wide image of NGC 6333 (Image Credits: AURA, NSF, NOAO) Below, a ? arcmin wide image of the globular cluster (Image Credit and © Jim Misti, Misti Mountain Observatory; used by permission)
Below, a 3.4 arcmin wide HST image of the cluster's core (Image Credit ESA/NASA)
NGC 6334
Discovered (Jun 7, 1837) by John Herschel
An emission nebula in Scorpius (RA 17 20 48.0, Dec -36 06 12)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6334 (= GC 4288 = JH 3678, 1860 RA 17 11 03, NPD 125 54.9) is "considerably faint, very large, irregularly considerably extended, very gradually a little brighter on east, 8th magnitude star involved".
Physical Information: Apparent size 35 by 20? arcmin
NGC 6335
Discovered (Jun 27, 1837) by John Herschel
A group of stars in Scorpius (RA 17 19 31.8, Dec -30 09 49)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6335 (= GC 4289 = JH 3679, 1860 RA 17 11 36±, NPD 120 00±) is "a diffuse nebula in patches".
NGC 6336 (= PGC 59976)
Discovered (Jul 11, 1876) by Édouard Stephan
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBa?) in Hercules (RA 17 16 16.5, Dec +43 49 15)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6336 (= GC 5858, Stephan list VII (#16), 1860 RA 17 12 03, NPD 46 01.7) is "very faint, very small, round, brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.9 by 0.7? arcmin
NGC 6337 (= P-K 349-01.1 = "PGC 3517783")
Discovered (Jun 28, 1834) by John Herschel
A 12th-magnitude planetary nebula in Scorpius (RA 17 22 15.7, Dec -38 28 59)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6337 (= GC 4290 = JH 3680, 1860 RA 17 12 40, NPD 128 20.0) is "a magnificent or otherwise interesting object, an annular nebula, extremely faint, small, among stars".
PGC Designation Note: For purposes of completeness, LEDA assigned a PGC designation to this object, even though it isn't a galaxy; but a search of the database for that designation returns no result, so it is shown in quotes.
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.85? arcmin
NGC 6338 (= PGC 59947)
Discovered (Apr 24, 1789) by William Herschel
Also observed by Guillaume Bigourdan
A 12th-magnitude lenticular galaxy (type S0?) in Draco (RA 17 15 22.6, Dec +57 24 41)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6338 (= GC 4291 = WH II 812, 1860 RA 17 12 41, NPD 32 24.1) is "faint, small, round, very gradually a little brighter middle". The second IC lists a corrected RA (per Bigourdan) of 17 13 01.
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.5 by 1.0? arcmin.
NGC 6339 (= PGC 60003)
Discovered (Apr 21, 1887) by Lewis Swift
A 13th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBcd?) in Hercules (RA 17 17 06.6, Dec +40 50 42)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6339 (Swift list VI (IX #78), 1860 RA 17 12 42, NPD 48 58.2) is "very faint, large, irregularly round, southwestern of 2", the other being NGC 6343.
Discovery Notes: This is one of several objects in a pre-publication version of Swift's list VI sent to Dreyer in 1887 that were inadvertently left out of the published paper; the omission was corrected for most of them by being included in Swift's list IX (whence the reference in parentheses).
Physical Information: Apparent size 2.9 by 1.7? arcmin
NGC 6340 (= PGC 59742)
Discovered (Jun 6, 1788) by William Herschel
Also observed (date?) by John Herschel
An 11th-magnitude lenticular galaxy (type S0/a?) in Draco (RA 17 10 23.9, Dec +72 18 17)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6340 (= GC 4292 = JH 1980 = WH II 767, 1860 RA 17 12 44, NPD 17 32.1) is "considerably faint, pretty large, round, very gradually much brighter middle".
Physical Information: Apparent size 3.0 by 2.8 arcmin?
NGC 6341 (= M92 = GCL 59)
Discovered (Dec 27, 1777) by Johann Bode
Recorded (Mar 18, 1781) by Charles Messier as M92
Recorded (May 25, 1795) by Joseph Lalande
A 7th-magnitude globular cluster (type IV) in Hercules (RA 17 17 07.3, Dec +43 08 13)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6341 (= GC 4294, M 92, Lalande 31544, 1860 RA 17 12 51, NPD 46 42.6) is "a globular cluster, very bright, very large, extremely compressed middle, well resolved, clearly consisting of stars, stars small".
Physical Information: Over 100 light years across, and about 28 thousand light years away. Apparent size 14? arcmin.
Above, a 30 arcmin wide SDSS image centered on NGC 6341 Below, a 12 arcmin wide SDSS image of the globular cluster
Below, a ? arcmin wide image of the cluster (Image Credits: Hillary Mathis, REU program/AURA/NSF/NOAO)
NGC 6342 (= GCL 61)
Discovered (May 28, 1786) by William Herschel
A 10th-magnitude globular cluster (type IV) in Ophiuchus (RA 17 21 10.2, Dec -19 35 12)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6342 (= GC 4293 = WH I 149, 1860 RA 17 12 55, NPD 109 26.5) is "considerably bright, pretty small, a little extended, extremely mottled but not resolved".
Physical Information: Apparent size 4.4? arcmin
NGC 6343 (= PGC 60010)
Discovered (Apr 21, 1887) by Lewis Swift
A 14th-magnitude compact galaxy (type C??) in Hercules (RA 17 17 16.2, Dec +41 03 10)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6343 (Swift list VI (IX #79), 1860 RA 17 12 57, NPD 48 46.2) is "very faint, small, a little extended, northeastern of 2", the other being NGC 6339.
Discovery Notes: This is one of several objects in a pre-publication version of Swift's list VI sent to Dreyer in 1887 that were inadvertently left out of the published paper; the omission was corrected for most of them by being included in Swift's list IX (whence the reference in parentheses).
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.1 by 1.1? arcmin
NGC 6344
Recorded (1886) by Gerhard Lohse
A pair of stars in Hercules (RA 17 17 18.1, Dec +42 26 04)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6344 (J. G. Lohse, 1860 RA 17 12 57, NPD 47 25.0) is "faint, small, round, 12th magnitude star to northeast, near".
NGC 6345 (= PGC 59945)
Discovered (May 13, 1887) by Lewis Swift
A 14th-magnitude lenticular galaxy (type S0?) in Draco (RA 17 15 23.9, Dec +57 21 02)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6345 (Swift list VI (#91), 1860 RA 17 12 59, NPD 32 27.3) is "most extremely faint, very small, round, 2nd of 3", the others being NGC 6338 and 6346.
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.8 by 0.2? arcmin
NGC 6346 (= PGC 59946)
Discovered (May 13, 1887) by Lewis Swift
A 15th-magnitude elliptical galaxy (type E2?) in Draco (RA 17 15 24.3, Dec +57 19 23)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6346 (Swift list VI, 1860 RA 17 13 02, NPD 32 29.0) is "most extremely faint, small, round, 3rd of 3", the others being NGC 6338 and 6345.
Discovery Notes: This is one of several objects in a pre-publication version of Swift's list VI sent to Dreyer in 1887 that were inadvertently left out of the published paper; the omission was corrected for most of them by being included in Swift's list IX, but in this case the omission was not corrected, hence the lack of a reference number. (Steinicke lists this as VI #91, but that entry only applies to NGC 6345; though the existence of yet another nebula is implied by the statement that his #91 is the "middle of 3, one being (GC) 4291.")
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.5 by 0.4? arcmin
NGC 6347 (= IC 1253 = PGC 60086)
Discovered (1866) by Truman Safford (and later listed as NGC 6347)
Discovered (date?) by Édouard Stephan (and later listed as NGC 6347)
Discovered (Jun 6, 1866) by Truman Safford (and later listed as IC 1253)
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type SBb?) in Hercules (RA 17 19 54.6, Dec +16 39 38)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6347 (Stephan list XI (#??), (Safford 29), 1860 RA 17 13 40, NPD 73 11.6) is "extremely faint, irregularly round, diffuse".
Discovery Notes: Dreyer did not become aware of Safford's observations until the NGC was nearly ready for publication, so only a few of Safford's observations were included in an appendix, and none in the individual NGC entries (hence its inclusion here in parentheses).
Physical Information: Apparent size 1.2 by 0.7? arcmin
NGC 6348 (= PGC 60036)
Discovered (Jun 29, 1880) by Édouard Stephan
A 14th-magnitude lenticular galaxy (type SB0(rs)a?) in Hercules (RA 17 18 21.1, Dec +41 38 53)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6348 (Stephan list XI (#16), 1860 RA 17 13 55, NPD 48 12.3) is "extremely faint, very small, irregularly round, a little brighter middle".
Physical Information: Based on a recessional velocity of 9520 km/sec, NGC 6348 is about 445 million light years away. Given that and its apparent size of 0.7 by 0.6? arcmin, it is about 85 thousand light years across.
Above, a 12 arcmin wide SDSS/DSS image centered on NGC 6348, also showing NGC 6350 Below, a 2.4 arcmin wide SDSS image of the galaxy, also showing PGC 2184830
NGC 6349 (= PGC 60060)
Discovered (Jul 15, 1879) by Édouard Stephan
A 14th-magnitude spiral galaxy (type S?) in Hercules (RA 17 19 06.4, Dec +36 03 41)
Historical Identification: Per Dreyer, NGC 6349 (Stephan list X (#32), 1860 RA 17 14 11, NPD 53 47.7) is "very faint, extremely small, round, a little brighter middle, western of 2", the other being NGC 6351.
Physical Information: Apparent size 0.8 by 0.2? arcmin
Above, a 12 arcmin wide SDSS image centered on NGC 6349, also showing NGC 6351 Below, a 2.4 arcmin wide SDSS image of the galaxies
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