However, after much sweeping, I saw the glow of a mag 12.2 glow, revealing an elliptical galaxy 3.6x1.9 in size. In the same field of view was NGC980 at mag 13.4. I was getting on toward the end of the evening. Two of the other observers had turned in, and two more were making noises like they were about done. But I still had a few objects left in Andromeda and Aries, and I wanted to finish those constellation's Herschel objects.
Magnitudes are seem so subjective, and very by program or database.
The one I use for this report is put together by Steve Gottlieb, and NGC7707's surface brightness is listed at 13.6. I prefer surface brightness to visual magnitude, as it gives a truer idea of how bright the object will appear visually. So, off I went, after NGC7707. Those of you who have viewed the Blue Snowball planetary nebula are probably familiar with three stars in a distinct pattern, where if you imagine a position for the forth star, you'd find the planetary nebula. NGC7707 forms a nice triangle with these stars, on the side of them away from M31.