NGC 6820 and NGC 6823: Cluster of Blue Stars with a Beautiful Nebula

Posted byWayne McGrawPosted inStar ClustersTags:,

The star cluster NGC 6823 lies roughly 6,000 light-years away and appears in the summertime constellation Vulpecula.

Adding to this stellar picture is a small emission nebula (known as NGC 6820) that surrounds NGC 6823 and its core of young blue stars. Together, these two NGCs belong to a larger faint emission nebula called SH2-86. They also are in a stellar family called Vulpecula OB1. Around 100 O and B-type stars, with another 800 young stellar objects, make up the stellar association Vulpecula OB1.1

My Observations

DateOctober 2, 2020
Time8:34 p.m.
LocationSeattle, WA
Magnification169x
ScopeMeade 8″ SCT
Eyepiece12mm
SeeingAbove Average
TransparencyAverage
Sketch of NGC 6823 from light-polluted skies through an 8-inch SCT scope showing what it looks like, including the faint clouds of the surrounding emission nebula.
Sketch of NGC 6823 with some faint smudges coming through from the emission nebula.

I’ve been viewing this cluster through my 24mm eyepiece and have decided to change it up to a 14mm eyepiece. I’m able to discern some nebulosity in the center.

Also viewed on October 1, 2022, at 10 p.m.: There is almost a half-moon setting, so the sky is still somewhat bright; however, using averted vision, I’m able to pick out the wisps of the emission nebula.

Key Stats

ConstellationVulpecula
Best ViewingAutumn
Visual Magnitude+7.0
Absolute Magnitude-5.4
Distance from Earth6,000 ly
Diameter18 ly
Apparent Size6 arcmin
Milky Way LocationOrion Spur
My Viewing GradeB

Sources

Photo of NGC 6823 by Jeffjnet (http://jeffjastro.com) is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

1“NGC 6820 and NGC 6823.” Wikipedia, 25 Feb. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_6820_and_NGC_6823.

Leave a comment