Monograph No. 1 - The "Non-Existent" Star Clusters of the RNGC
Written by Brent A. Archinal
Abstract
A number of objects cataloged in the NGC [Dreyer, 1888] and RNGC [Sulentic and Tifft, 1973] have been misidentified or have not been located since their discovery in the 18th and 19th centuries. The RNGC in particular lists a relatively large number of the star clusters listed in the NGC as nonexistent (or "type 7") objects and contains errors related to several other clusters or asterisms. Here is given a catalog of all of these objects, including extensive notes. The catalog contains corrected and expanded information from the RNGC, while the notes include all known modern observations (except in the case of now well known objects), and many historical observations. All relevant observations by William and John Herschel are included in the notes.
The catalog contains entries for 229 objects (including 228 NGC/RNGC entries). One object was found to probably not exist, 5 were found to be duplicate entries for other NGC objects, and 99 were confirmed to exist in some form. For 124 objects, sufficient information does not exist to confirm existence either way and modern observations are encouraged. Notes of some type are provided for all but 21 of these objects, and 32 drawings or sketches of these objects are also included. Readers are encouraged to make and report additional observations.
