NGC 6217: Barred Spiral Galaxy (Ursa Minor) RA: 16h 32.7m / DEC: +78° 11'.9 Instrument: 10-inch Starfinder |
This Sb-type galaxy resides in the northern sky. Look for NGC 6217 about 2.5 degrees north-northeast of 5.0 magnitude Eta Ursae Minoris. 4.3 magnitude Zeta Ursae Minoris lies a similar distance to the west-southwest. The sketch at left presents NGC 6217 as he appears at 129X in the 10-inch Starfinder Newtonian. The 11.2 magnitude galaxy is positioned just northeast of center. It covers a 3'x2' area and is aligned roughly north-south. The stellar core region is prominent. After several minutes observation, very subtle hints of spiral structure emerge as gentle swirls amidst the galaxy's gauzy haze. There is also the suggestion of a northwest-southeast aligned central bar. Twenty-five field stars frame the view. 6.4 magnitude HD 150275 is outside the field boundary 45' to the south. |
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