NGC 3949
NGC 3950

Ursa Major
RA 11 53 41
DEC + 47 53 05

Mag 3949 11.7G
Mag 3950 15.7V

3949 Z=.002665
3950 Z= .0746

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This weeks OOTW is a chance alignment. The beautiful spiral NGC 3949 is only 37 million light years away while the much smaller NGC 3950 is 995 million light years or close enough to call it 1 billion light year’s away.

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NGC 3950 was found by the 4th Earl of Parsons Lawrence Parsons who is the son of William Parsons who built the 72” leviathan. He was looking at spiral nebula NGC 3949 who was found by William Hershel and recorded that he was seeing a faint companion nebula 2.5’ North of 3949. I bet he would be shocked if new that that faint nebula was 1 billion light years away!

I have observed this most interesting pair seven times and my most recent observation I noted it @488X Small fairly bright direct vision Round with a bright star like core and a small faint halo. This is a older rough sketch I made of the field.

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I highly Recommend this chance alignment.

As usual “GIVE IT A GO”

Good Luck and Great viewing