Caroline Herschel discovered this wide open cluster on September 29, 1783. While not spectacular, the cluster makes a nice impressions in wider eyepieces.
Category Archives: Star Clusters
NGC 2360: Caroline’s Beautiful Cluster of Stars
Caroline Hershel, sister of the famous astronomer William Hershel who discovered Uranus, discovered this cluster more than 200 years ago on a winter’s night. Seeing this makes me reflect on the passing of time.
Messier 48 (NGC 2548): A Star Cluster the Size of Two Moons
Messier 48 is an open star cluster in the constellation of Hydra. M48 has an interesting history as Messier recorded an incorrect location for the cluster, and many give credit to Caroline Herschel for its discovery.
Hyades: The Closest Star Cluster to Earth and Face of Taurus
Hyades is an open star cluster in the constellation of Taurus. It’s best viewed in winter through early spring. Observers should be able to see Hyades from most locations with the unaided eye. At only 150 light years from earth, Hyades is the closest star cluster to earth. My Observations December 28, 2020 | 7:53ContinueContinue reading “Hyades: The Closest Star Cluster to Earth and Face of Taurus”
NGC 7686: A Trapezoid-Looking Cluster in Andromeda
The NGC 7686 is an open star cluster in the constellation Andromeda with a buttery yellow star making its mark. It was discovered on December 3, 1787.
Messier 39 (NGC 7092): A Larger Cluster of Straggling Stars in Cygnus
This collection of around 30 stars is only 800-1000 light years away, closer to us than many star clusters. Due to its close proximity, it’s larger and spread across a region larger than the moon.
NGC 1027: Cassiopeia’s Open Cluster Near the Heart Nebula
Cassiopeia, a notable constellation in the Milky Way, contains the open star cluster NGC 1027, located approximately 3,400 light-years away. Although it may not attract as much attention as other celestial objects, it is accessible to backyard astronomers during autumn and winter evenings. NGC 1027 features a visual magnitude of +6.8. Also known as Cr 30 and IC 1824.
NGC 663: A Cluster Known for its “Be” Stars in Cassiopeia
The cluster is notable for several reason: it has several double stars, it sits in front of a molecular cloud so most background stars are blocked, and it contains a high number of “Be” stars.
The Garden Astronomer 