Galaxy Cluster Abell 0272 (aka Zwicky 0152+33)

Zwicky 0152+33 is one of three galaxy clusters discovered in 1968 by Fritz Zwicky to be made up mostly of compact elliptical galaxies. Zwicky estimated that there were 144 galaxies making up Abell 0272.

In 1972 Wallace Sargent of Hale Observatory made a detailed study of the dynamics of this cluster based on his red shift data for 16 of the brightest galaxies (all dimmer than 17th magnitude) that seem to make up a chain or central 'spine' of the cluster. He found that these galaxies are actually arranged in a non-rotating disk-like shape, seen edge-on and that at least the central 10 form a gravitationally bound system. He also found that all of these galaxies except #6 are very red and have a spectrum similar to older yellow & red stars. Galaxy #6 is much bluer and has emission features in its spectrum, consistent with recent star formation. Galaxy # 2M was identified as an infrared source by the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2 MASS).

Based on the red shift study, a distance estimate (using a Hubble Constant of 62 Km/sec per Mpc) for this cluster is 1.2 Billion light years. At that distance the picture above covers 1.8 by 2.6 million light years, or roughly the distance from the Milky Way to the Andromeda Galaxy.

George Normandin, KAS

December 27th, 2000

Albireo (Beta Cygni), Double Star in Cygnus

Albireo (Beta Cygni) forms the head of the swan in the Constellation of Cygnus. Although it appears as a single star to the naked eye, just about any small telescope will show it to be a double star. Thanks to the blue and gold colors of its component stars Albireo is one of the most beautiful Double Stars in northern skies. Spectrographic studies have shown that the gold colored component is itself a double, meaning that Albireo is really a triple star. It's about 385 light years away.

• Albireo (Beta Cygni)
• Magnitudes: 3.1 & 5.1
• Constellation: Cygnus
• RA: 19h 30m 43.0s
• Dec: 27° 57' 33" Epoch 2000
• Seperation (sec): 35.3" at P.A. 54 Degrees
• Classification: : K3-II+ and B8-V; double star
  

George Normandin, KAS

November 14th, 2009

The "Cone Nebula" in Monoceros

A CCD taken with an STL-1301E camera thru Kopernik's 20-inch F/8.1 telescope focal reduced to F/5. North is at the top and the field of view is about 24x20 arc minutes.

The "Cone Nebula", a part of NGC 2264, in Monoceros:

The CCD image shows only a small part of a vast complex of gas, dust, and newly forming stars. This nebula surrounds one of the youngest open star clusters known, NGC 2264. This cluster lies off the top edge of our image.

Radiation from hot, young stars has slowly eroded the dark Cone Nebula over millions of years. Ultraviolet light heats the edges of the dark cloud, releasing gas into the relatively empty region of surrounding space. There, additional ultraviolet radiation causes the hydrogen gas to glow, which produces the red halo of light seen around the pillar. The Cone Nebula is a cousin of the M-16 pillars, which the Hubble telescope imaged in 1995. Monstrous pillars of cold gas, like the Cone and M-16, are common in large regions of star birth. Astronomers believe that these pillars are incubators for developing stars. Click here to go to the Hubble image of the Cone Nebula.

Quote from "Burnham's Celestial Handbook":

"The most awesome and spectacularly beautiful section (of the nebula) is the famous Cone Nebula.... It appears as a great dark pinnacle some six light years high from north to south, wonderfully outlined against glowing nebulosity, and brilliantly illuminated at its summit; the whole structure forming a picture of such strangeness and splendor that it scarcely seems natural.... the modern observer is touched by a stange sensation of having been present at the drama of creation."

• Cone Nebula (part of NGC 2264)
• Constellation: Monoceros
• RA: 6h 41m 12.6s
• Dec: +09° 26' 25.7" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 5'x10'
• Classification: emission and dark nebula; Gaseous Pillar in the Milky Way Galaxy.
  

George Normandin, KAS

April 24th, 2010

Spiral Galaxy ESO 576-40
and Supernova 1997br

For more pictures of this galaxy & supernova, click here.

Info on galaxy ESO 576-40:

• Other IDs: MCG -4-32-7, PGC: 46574
• Magnitude: 14.7
• RA: 13h 20m 43.9s
• Dec: -22d 03' 01" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins) 2.1 x 0.4

This galaxy is listed in the European Southern Observatory(ESO) galaxy catalog, and that is the reason for the name: "ESO 576-40".

The following is the data on Supernova 1997br:

Discovered: April 10th, 1997

• RA: 13h 20m 42.4s
• Dec: -22d 02' 16"
• Mag 14.5(at discovery), Type Ia

.....from the Harvard University Supernova web site:

April 1997 .... spectrum shows this to be a peculiar Type Ia similar to 1991T before maximum. It does not appear to be highly reddened. This is a very unusual event.......

As a "bonus" our image includes an anonymous galaxy near ESO576-40, marked as 'A' in the image. The following describes it:

• Magnitude: 14.4
• RA: 13h 20m 49.6s
• Dec: -22d 03' 19" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins) 1.5 x 1.2

Hickson 44, A Compact Group of 4 Galaxies
Including: NGC 3185, 3187, 3190, & 3193

Image of Hickson 44 with the galaxies labled with their NGC numbers:

Quote from Paul Hickson's Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies:

"This is a well-know group of four near-by NGC galaxies (also known as Arp 316 and VV 307). All three spiral galaxies show morphological peculiarities and are radio sources. Note the prominent dust lane in NGC 3190 and the outer ring of NGC 3187."

Click here for larger scale images of NGC 3185, 3190, and 3193, plus additional information on each of these galaxies.

George Normandin, KAS

July 12th, 2001

Hickson 57 Galaxy Group in Leo

Copeland's Septet, Arp 320

Hickson 57 - "Copeland's Septet" - Arp 320, Compact Galaxy Group:

Hickson 57 is a compact group of eight galaxies in the Constellation of Leo that are interacting and possibly merging. The group is also known as Arp 320 and VV 282. This group was first named "The Septet" by Ralph Copeland (1837-1905), while employed as an observer under Lord Rosse, Earl of Parsonstown, Ireland. He probably first observed the group while using the 72-Inch "Leviathan of Parsonstown" at Birr Castle. This speculum mirror telescope, built by Lord Rosse, enabled Copeland to observe this cluster with relative ease. This can be seen in the NGC descriptions he provided for members of this cluster. His original NGC descriptions for this group were pB (pretty bright) for members NGC 3745, 3746, 3748, 3750, and 3753. His original description for NGC 3751 was F (faint), while his original description for NGC 3754 was vF (very faint). Ralph Copeland latter went on to take spectral measurements of the supernova S Andromeda in 1885, travel overseas to view the conjunction of Venus with the sun, and once visited the famous 19th century optician, Alvan Clark, in the United States. He also served as Astronomer Royal of Scotland between 1889-1905.

Dr. Paul Hickson included this group as Number 57 in his "Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies". Hickson notes for No. 57: "...... Redshifts have been measured for 7 members, and are all found to be accordant. The small compact galaxy NGC 3754 interacting with the bright spiral NGC 3753 is a radio and infrared source."

Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 3746 (Hickson 57b) was the host galaxy for Supernova 2005ba when the Kopernik image was taken. This galaxy was also the host for Supernova 2002ar, a Type Ia that reached a maximum magnitude of 16.5. A rough distance estimate to NGC 3746 and SN 2005ba is 480 million light years.

George Normandin, KAS

April 15th, 2005

Hickson 57 Galaxy Group in Leo

Copeland's Septet, Arp 320

Hickson 57 - "Copeland's Septet" - Arp 320, Compact Galaxy Group:

Hickson 57 is a compact group of eight galaxies in the Constellation of Leo that are interacting and possibly merging. The group is also known as Arp 320 and VV 282. This group was first named "The Septet" by Ralph Copeland (1837-1905), while employed as an observer under Lord Rosse, Earl of Parsonstown, Ireland. He probably first observed the group while using the 72-Inch "Leviathan of Parsonstown" at Birr Castle. This speculum mirror telescope, built by Lord Rosse, enabled Copeland to observe this cluster with relative ease. This can be seen in the NGC descriptions he provided for members of this cluster. His original NGC descriptions for this group were pB (pretty bright) for members NGC 3745, 3746, 3748, 3750, and 3753. His original description for NGC 3751 was F (faint), while his original description for NGC 3754 was vF (very faint). Ralph Copeland latter went on to take spectral measurements of the supernova S Andromeda in 1885, travel overseas to view the conjunction of Venus with the sun, and once visited the famous 19th century optician, Alvan Clark, in the United States. He also served as Astronomer Royal of Scotland between 1889-1905.

Dr. Paul Hickson included this group as Number 57 in his "Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies". Hickson notes for No. 57: "...... Redshifts have been measured for 7 members, and are all found to be accordant. The small compact galaxy NGC 3754 interacting with the bright spiral NGC 3753 is a radio and infrared source."

Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 3746 (Hickson 57b) was the host galaxy for Supernova 2005ba when the Kopernik image was taken. This galaxy was also the host for Supernova 2002ar, a Type Ia that reached a maximum magnitude of 16.5. A rough distance estimate to NGC 3746 and SN 2005ba is 480 million light years.

George Normandin, KAS

April 15th, 2005

Hickson 56, A Compact Group of 5 Galaxies in Ursa Major
aka Arp 322

Quote from Paul Hickson's Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies:

"Group 56 consists of five galaxies, three of which appear to be in contract and interacting. Two of these three galaxies (B and D) are radio sources. Infrared emission is also detected from this interacting system."

This interesting group, found in the Constellation of Ursa Major, belongs both to the list of Vorontsov-Vel'yaminov (1959; number 150) and to that of Arp (1966; number 322). It is characterized by the spectacular stream of matter linking galaxies B and C. Galaxy C shows a conspicuous asymmetric halo but galaxy D has a simple outer luminosity profile. Finally, we note that galaxy A and galaxy D are Seyfert galaxies.

Based on their red shift, a rough distance estimate for the Hickson 56 galaxies is 425 million light years.

George Normandin, KAS

May 15th, 2002

Galaxy Group Hickson 76 (part of Abell 2085)

Hickson 76 is a relatively loose group of seven galaxies, all with similar red shifts, meaning that all are probably close together in space. Dr. Paul Hickson's Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies contains 100 galaxy groups that may be in the process of colliding or even combining into a single galaxy. This group lies at the core of the large and rich Galaxy Cluster Abell 2085.

This is one of the parts of the sky where various catalogs disagree on the identifications of objects. Hickson 76 includes NGC 5944, NGC 5942, and NGC 5941. Unfortunately, there is much confusion over exactly which is which. These are three of a group of four nebulae discovered by Lewis Swift on April 19th 1887. Bigourdan observed these galaxies two years later, but disagreed with Swift's positions versus his descriptions. The MCG and CGCG also differ on the identification, and the RNGC reversed Swift's designations and used Bigourdan's. There have been several recent attempts at determining exactly which of these galaxies Swift observed. The Kopernik image and the table below use the identifications suggested by Dr. HG Corwin and currently used in the NASA Extra-Galactic Database.

Based on the red shift study, a distance estimate (using a Hubble Constant of 62 Km/sec per Mpc) for this cluster is 536 Million light years. At that distance the picture above covers 0.8 by 1 million light years.

George Normandin, KAS

May 8th, 2001

Hickson 76, A Compact Group of 4 Galaxies
Including: NGC 6161, 6162, 6163, & PGC 58231

Quote from Paul Hickson's Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies:

"Group 82 is a relatively loose quartet with a very high velocity of dispersion. The irregular galaxy Hickson 82c (NGC 6161) is a radio and infrared source. The compact object at the south end of this galaxy is probably a star."

This group is roughly 571 million light years away.

George Normandin, KAS

June 20th, 2001

Hickson 86, A Compact Group of 4 Galaxies
Also: Galaxy ESO 461-5

Image of Hickson 86 with the galaxies labled:

Quote from Paul Hickson's Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies:

"This is a relatively loose quartet of (elliptical) type galaxies. Another galaxy (ESO 461-5) of comparable brightness can be found to the west, and may be related to the group."

These five elliptical galaxies are in Sagittarius. Based on their red shift, a rough distance estimate for Hickson 86 is 315 million light years.

George Normandin, KAS

October 9th, 2001

Hickson 99, A Compact Group of 5 Galaxies in Pegasus
A 15 minute exposure taken with an STL-1301E CCD camera thru Kopernik's 20 inch telescope. The field of view is about 12x14 arc minutes, with North at the top.

Quote from Paul Hickson's Atlas of Compact Groups of Galaxies:

"Group 99 is an accordant quintet containing a close pair of interacting galaxies (B and C). Galaxy C has a very pronounced bar and ring. Galaxy A (with a bright star) has an interesting spiral structure."

The Hickson 99 Galaxy Group is in the Constellation of Pegasus. The largest member of the group is a spiral galaxy seen nearly edge-on. It was the host for Type II Supernova SN 2006jb discovered on October 11th, 2006 by the Lick Observatory Supernova Search group. Unfortunately it had faded from view when the Kopernik image was taken at 3:00 UT on November 22, 2006. Astronomers D. Bettoni and G. Fasano of Padova Observatory in Padova, Italy have discovered that galaxies B & C are surrounded by a common halo of stars.

Based on their red shift, a rough distance estimate for the Hickson 99 galaxies is 457 million light years.

George Normandin, KAS

November 28th, 2006

Barred Spiral Galaxy IC 1158 & Supernova 2000cb

A 10 minute exposure with an ST-6 CCD camera thru Kopernik's 20-inch F/8.1 Ritchey Chretien Cassegrain telescope. The field of view is about 5x7 arc minutes. Image taken under poor conditions including some cloud. Time: 5:18 UT, June 24th, 2000.

Supernova 2000cb:

Discovered: April 27th, 2000, by Lick Observatory Supernova Search Team and independently by the Beijing Astronomical Observatory.

• Magnitude 18.0 at discovery
• Type II, before max brightness
• Magnitude 16.3 at peak

Follow this Link to a NASA Web site on supernovas. It has a very nice animation and a description of what these objects are.

Barred Spiral Galaxy IC 1158:

Quote from the Dreyer's Index Catalog to the NGC:

Most extremely faint, pretty large, and irregularly round.

This face-on barred spiral galaxy is in the constellation of Serpens. Its low surface brightness ( 14th magnitude ) makes it difficult to observe except in large telescopes. A rough distance estimate for IC 1158 is 100 million light years, and at that distance, the diameter would be 74,000 light years.

• IC 1158
• Magnitude: 13.4
• Constellation: Serpens
• RA: 16h 01m 33.8s
• Dec: +01° 42' 25" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 2.5' x 1.7'
• Classification: SB(r:)c II-III
                          Barred Spiral, Inner Ring (uncertain), Luminosity class II-III
  

George Normandin, KAS

June 24th, 2000

Open Star Cluster IC 1369 in Cygnus

An 10 minute exposure with an ST-9E CCD camera thru Kopernik's 20-inch F/8.1 Ritchey Chretien Cassegrain telescope. The field of view is about 8x8 arc minutes, with North at the top.

Quote from: The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

"Eight arc minutes in diameter; 40 stars; brightest = magnitude 12.14; Moderately rich in stars; moderate brightness range; slight central concentration; detached."

The Dreyer's original 'Index Catalog' (IC) and 'Burnham's Celestial Handbook' both say that this cluster involves a nebula. The IC says it's 4 arc minutes in size, while Burnham's says 2 arc minutes. 'The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000' describes IC 1369 as a cluster of 40 stars that is 8 arc minutes in size. The Kopernik image shows that IC 1369 is an open cluster without any nebulosity that is about 4 arc minutes in diameter. The red and blue survey images taken with the Palomar 48 inch Schmidt Camera confirm this.

Data from the 'Tycho Catalog' shows that the bright star at the bottom of the image is a B-9 blue giant that is at a distance of 302 light years. However, this star is probably a foreground object and not a part of the cluster.

• IC 1369
• Magnitude: 6.0
• Constellation: Cygnus
• RA: 21h 12m 06.0s
• Dec: +47° 44' 00" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 4.0'
• Classification: Open Star Cluster.
  

George Normandin, KAS

November 21st, 2001

Galaxies IC 1733, IC 1735, UGC 1318, MCG 5-5-21
Galaxy Cluster Abell 260

Elliptical Galaxy IC 1733 is by far the largest and brightest galaxy in Galaxy Cluster Abell 260. Located at the center of the cluster this massive system is a "Cluster Dominant Elliptical" of a type similar to M-87. Nearby companion Spiral Galaxy IC 1735 was the host of Supernova 2006je (found in October 2006). This peculiar type Ia supernova had already faded from view when this image was taken on Nov 22, 2006. The image above shows only the central portion of Galaxy Cluster Abell 260. Spread over an area of 50 arc minutes this cluster contains about 163 galaxies, many of which are seen in the image.

Using the red shift data from the ìNASA Extra-galactic Data Base(NED)î, (and a Hubble Constant of 62 Km per sec., per Megaparsec), one can calculate a rough distance estimate for Galaxy Cluster Abell 260 of about 562 million light years.

George Normandin, KAS

November 26th, 2006

Spiral Galaxy IC 2461 - Supernova 2002 bx

Supernova 2002 bx:

• Discovered April 1st, 2002 by Tom Boles, Coddenham, England; and the LOTOSS supernova group.
• Magnitude 16.8 at discovery
• Type: II
• T. Matheson, et al, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, report the spectrum shows this supernova to be a type-II before maximum; the spectrum consists of a very blue continuum with P-Cyg lines of hydrogen and helium. The expansion velocity is 11,600 km/s.
• The supernova is magnitude 16.58 in the Kopernik image.

Follow this Link to a NASA Web site on supernovas. It has a very nice animation and a description of what these objects are.

Spiral Galaxy IC 2461:

Dreyer's description in the Index Catalog(IC):

"Faint, very small, very little brighter middle."

IC 2461 is an edge-on Spiral Galaxy in the constellation of Lynx. It has a somewhat off center dust lane.

Based on the published red shift, (and a Hubble Constant of 62 Km/sec per Mpc) a rough distance estimate for IC 2461 and Supernova 2002 bx is 119 million light years, and the galaxy's diameter is about 100,290 light years.

• IC 8521
• Magnitude: 14.8
• Constellation: Lynx
• RA: 09h 19m 58.0s
• Dec: +37° 11' 27" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 2.3' x 0.4'
• Classification:  Spiral Galaxy
  

George Normandin, KAS

May 6th, 2002

Spiral Galaxy IC 391 & Supernova 2001b

A 10 minute exposure with an ST-6 CCD camera thru Kopernik's 20-inch F/8.1 Ritchey Chretien Cassegrain telescope. The field of view is about 5x7 arc minutes, with North at the top.
Time: 4:37 UT, February 19th, 2001.

Supernova 2001b:

Discovered January 3rd, 2001, by the Beijing Astronomical Observatory.

• Magnitude 15.5 at discovery
• Type Ib.
• The supernova is magnitude 14.9 in the Kopernik image.

Follow this Link to a NASA Web site on supernovas. It has a very nice animation and a description of what these objects are.

Spiral Galaxy IC 391:

Quote from The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

"Very bright main body 0.9 x 0.8 arc minutes; extremely diffuse outside these limits."

This galaxy is roughly 82 million light years away.

• IC 391
• Magnitude: 13.1
• Constellation: Camelopardalis
• RA: 04h 57m 23.1s
• Dec: +78° 11' 21" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 1.1' x 1.1'
• Classification: Spiral Galaxy

George Normandin, KAS

February 23rd, 2001

Barred Spiral Galaxy IC 4229 in Virgo
Supernova 2001ae

Supernova 2001ae:

Discovered March 15th, 2001, at Lick Observatory by the LOTOSS group.

• Magnitude 17.3 at discovery
• Type II.
• The supernova is magnitude 18.8 in the Kopernik image.

Follow this Link to a NASA Web site on supernovas. It has a very nice animation and a description of what these objects are.

Barred Spiral Galaxy IC 4229:

Dreyer's description in the New General Catalog (NGC):

"Extremely faint, extremely small, round............".

Based on the published red shift, (and a Hubble Constant of 62 Km/sec per Mpc) a rough distance estimate for IC 4229 is 367 million light years, with a diameter of about 107,000 light years.

• IC 4229
• Magnitude: 14.2
• Constellation: Virgo
• RA: 13h 22m 26.5s
• Dec: -02° 25' 04" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 1.0' x 0.7'
• Classification: (R')SB(r)b pec
                          Pseudo outer ring, barred spiral, inner ring, peculiar

George Normandin, KAS

April 29th, 2001

Spiral Galaxy IC 5145 - Supernova 2003 hy

Supernova 2003 hy:

• Discovered September 14th, 2003; Discovered about the same time by the UK amateurs Tom Boles and Mark Armstrong.
• Magnitude at discovery: 16.6
• Type: IIn (uncertain)
• SN 2003hy may be a super-outburst of a luminous blue variable (LBV) rather than a true supernova, but the reported magnitude at discovery is brighter than that of a typical LBV outburst.
• The supernova is dimmer than magnitude 19.4 in the Kopernik image, taken on December 28, 2003 at 0:35 UT.

Follow this Link to a NASA Web site on supernovas. It has a very nice animation and a description of what these objects are.

Spiral Galaxy IC 5145:

This 14.3 magnitude galaxy is in the constellation of Pegasus. It is a very low surface brightness Spiral galaxy. Even with a 14-minute exposure the Kopernik image does not show much detail in the arms. This galaxy is one of two discovered by Barnard. His rather poor data was apparently sent directly to Dreyer and thus the information in the 2nd Index Catalog is somewhat inaccurate and there is no description.

Based on the published red shift, (and a Hubble Constant of 62 Km/sec per Mpc) a rough distance estimate for IC 5145 and SN 2003 hy is 387 million light years, with a galaxy diameter of about 180,000 light years.

• IC 5145
• Magnitude: 14.3
• Constellation: Pegasus
• RA: 21h 54m 24.4s
• Dec: +15° 08' 13" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 1.6' x 0.9'
• Classification:  Sab, Spiral Galaxy
  

George Normandin, KAS

December 29th, 2003

Cocoon Nebula IC 5146 in Cygnus

A 32 minute exposure with an STL-1301E CCD camera and h-alpha filter, thru Kopernik's 20-inch F/8.1 Ritchey Chretien Cassegrain telescope focal reduced to F/5.3. North is at the top.

Quote from: The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

"Several absorption patches involved in the interior. There is a small detached patch of nebulosity, comparable in surface brightness, 10 arc minutes west-northwest of center."

Quote from: Dreyer's Index Catalog (IC):

"Pretty bright, very large, irregular figure, 9.5th magnitude star in middle."

The Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146; also Sharpless 125) is a strikingly beautiful nebula located about 4,000 light years away in the Constellation of Cygnus. It is embedded in the large and long Dark Nebula (Barnard 168), which extends will beyond the field covered in the image above. Inside the Cocoon is a newly developing cluster of stars. Like other stellar nurseries, the Cocoon Nebula is an emission nebula, a reflection nebula, and an absorption nebula. It stands out in red, glowing, hydrogen gas excited by young, hot stars and blue, dust-reflected starlight at the edge of an otherwise invisible molecular cloud. The Kopernik image above was taken thru a narrow-band h-alpha filter so it only shows the glowing emission nebulosity.

Some astronomers believe that the massive star in the center of the Cocoon Nebula opened a hole in an existing cold dark molecular cloud through which much of the glowing material flows. The same star, which formed about 100,000 years ago, now provides the energy source for much of the emitted and reflected light from this nebula. It is classified as a Herbig Be star. These stars are pre-main sequence intermediate mass stars (2 to 8 solar masses) which are often associated with dust or reflection nebulosity.

• IC 5146 The Cocoon Nebula
• Magnitude: 7.0
• Constellation: Cygnus
• RA: 21h 53m 24.0s
• Dec: +47° 16' 00" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 12.0'
• Classification: A bright nebula with emission and reflection components, plus dark nebula patches.
  

George Normandin, KAS

December 29th, 2010

Supernova 1999an in Spiral Galaxy IC 755

The following is the data on Supernova 1999an:

Discovered: March 7th, 1999, by Beijing Astronomical Observatory

• Magnitude 15 at discovery
• Type II
• The Supernova as shown in the Kopernik image is about a magnitude dimmer.

From IAU Bulletin 7124 (3/11/99):

....... spectra obtained on Mar. 10.8, shows SN 1999an to be a type-II supernova with obvious P-Cyg Balmer lines. ....... {it has a} photospheric expansion velocity of 5300 km/s ....

Follow this Link to a NASA Web site on supernovas. It has a very nice animation and a description of what these objects are.

This is the data on Barred Spiral Galaxy IC 755 itself:

• Magnitude: 14.0
• RA: 12h 01m 10.2s
• Dec: +14°06'23" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins) 2.4' x 0.3'
• Constellation: Coma Berenices
• classification: SBb ?, Barred Spiral Galaxy, (uncertain)

Edge-on galaxy IC 755 is possibly a barred spiral. It has an asymmetric spindle shape with a bright drop-shaped nuclear region. Supernova 1999an is a type II, which most astronomers consider to result from the explosion of a single, very massive, and relatively young star. These types of stars are only found in the arms of spiral galaxies.

Dreyer's description from the Index Catalog(IC): Most extremely faint, small, extended, between 2 stars.

Based on the published red shift, a rough distance estimate for IC 755 and supernova 1998an is: 80,000,000 light years, with the galaxy being 67,000 light years in diameter.

George Normandin, KAS

April 18th, 1999

Globular Star Cluster M-10 (NGC 6254)

Description of M-10 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 12.0
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 14.7
Concentration: 7 (scale 1{dense} to 12{loose})

Charles Messier (May 29th, 1764): 'Nebula without star in the belt of Ophiuchus. Fine and round..... Reported on 2nd chart of... comet of 1769.' Hand written notes in Messier's copy of his catalog include the following: "Reviewed 6th March, morning, 1781" "always fine." "Reviewed 10th March, morning, 1790."

W. Hershel (1783): '...a beautiful cluster of extremely compressed stars, resembling M-53'

Admiral Smyth: 'A rich globular cluster of compressed stars of a lucid white tint, somewhat attenuated at the margin and clustering to a blaze in the center. Easily resolvable by moderate means.'

Burnham's Celestial Handbook: "Globular star cluster... lying ....well north of the main mass of the star clouds of the Ophiuchus Milky Way. ....bright and easily located in good binoculars..... M-10 is a rich cluster of magnitude 7 with an extreme diameter of about 12 arc minutes and a bright compressed center. Partial resolution may be achieved with a good 6-inch or 8-inch telescope....."

Dreyer's description of NGC 6254 in his New General Catalog(NGC): "Remarkable! Globular cluster, bright, very large, round, gradually very much brighter middle, well resolved, stars of magnitude 10 to 15; = M10."

Several sources give the distance to M-10 as 16,300 light years, and at that distance the true diameter would be 85 light years. But Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!

• • • M-10, NGC 6254
    • Magnitude: 6.6
    • Constellation: Ophiuchus
    • RA: 16h 57m 06.0s
    • Dec: -04° 06' 00" Epoch 2000
    • Size: (mins) 8
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

• • • to

George Normandin, KAS

October 10th, 2002

Spiral Galaxy M-100 ( NGC 4321 )

To see our picture of Supernova 2006X in M-100, click here.

This is a 20 minute exposure with an ST-9E CCD camera thru Kopernik's 20-inch F/8.1 Ritchey Chretien Cassegrain telescope. The field of view is about 8x8 arc minutes with North at the top.

M-100 is a face-on spiral galaxy in the Coma-Virgo galaxy cluster, and is one of the largest spirals in that group. The knots that appear in its spiral arms are large clouds of gas (star forming regions) similar to M-42, the Orion Nebula, in our own Milky Way galaxy. Some of the knots are also recently formed open star clusters similar to M-44 the Beehive Cluster. The red shift for M-100 seems far too low for its estimated distance of 60 million light years. This difference from the expected cosmological red shift may result from the galaxyís local motion within the Virgo cluster. A recent (1997) estimate of the distance to the Virgo Cluster (based on the width of 21-cm HI radio line) is between 59.7 and 75.3 million light years.

M-100 and the ìAge of the Universe Paradoxî:

In 1994 W. Freedman, using the Hubble Space Telescope, made observations of M-100 that led her to project the age of the universe to be 8 billion years. This is much younger than previous estimates, and is even younger than estimates of the age of the oldest stars (15 billion years). This Age Paradox, if it holds up, could mean that there is a significant problem with either the Big Bang Theory or with our understanding of things like particle physics. However, more recent findings seem to solve this with age estimates of 9 to 12 billion years for the oldest stars, and 13 billion years for the universe...

CLICK HERE to find out about the latest findings on the ìAge of the Universe Paradoxî.

George Normandin, KAS

July 8th, 2002 (updated May 11, 2006)

Spiral Galaxy M-101 (NGC 5447) in Ursa Major

Quote by Charles Messier:

(March 27th, 1781) Nebula without star, very obscure and pretty large, 6' or 7' diameter between the left hand of Bootes and the tail of the Great Bear. Difficult to distinguish when graticule lit.?
 

Quote from Dreyer's New General Catalog(NGC):

"Pretty bright, very large, irregularly round, gradually, very abruptly much brighter middle bright small nucleus; = M101."

Pierre Mechain discovered this large face-on spiral galaxy in 1781.

M-101 is relatively nearby galaxy in the constellation of Ursa Major and is the most luminous member of a rich galaxy group. M-101 is tidally interacting with NGC 5474, NGC 5477, and Ho IV. M-101 covers a large angular size, nearly as large as the full moon. Although bright it's light is spread over a large area and thus the surface brightness is rather low. This makes M-101 a rather difficult object to observe or image. Because of the large size it is best seen and imaged in small telescopes. The Kopernik image was thus made with a 80 mm refractor rather than our 20 inch telescope.

M101 is the prototype of the multiple-arm galaxies of the Sc type. Although many separate arms exist in the outer regions, each one can be traced from a branching of two principal dust arms that begin in the nucleus. They cannot be traced as individual arms but rather as separate segments which, when taken together, form a rough spiral pattern. The outer arms are highly branched.

• M-101, NGC 5457
• Magnitude: 7.9
• Constellation: Ursa Major
• RA: 14h 03m 12.8s
• Dec: +54° 21' 03" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 28.6' x26.5'
• Classification: Spiral Galaxy

George Normandin, KAS

July 22nd, 2009

Open Star Cluster M-103 (NGC 581)

This is a CCD image taken with an STL-1301E CCD camera thru a 10-inch F/8.9 RC Cassegrain (owned by KAS Member G. Normandin). The field of view is about 24x30 arc minutes, with East at the top. Total exposure time was 40 minutes.

Charles Messier:

(from a description provided by Mechain) ''A cluster of stars..... between eta and delta of the leg of Cassiopeia.''

Smyth:

''Cluster a fan shaped group diverging from a sharp star in the north east quadrant. Brilliant from the flash of a score of its larger members four principal ones of which are from 7 to 9 magnitude.''

D'Arrest:

''(Includes) a beautiful 10th magnitude reddish star prominent, its color is rose tinted. An irregular cluster of 9, 10, 11th magnitude stars. Size 9 arc minutes approximately."

This Open Star Cluster in the Constellation of Cassiopeia was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781 and Messier included it as the last object in his published catalog without actually observing it himself. Based on Messier's notes and other sources most modern listings of the Messier Catalog include "M-104" thru "M-110", but these were not in the original.

M-103 is a rather loose cluster and there is not a general agreement on its distance or the number of members. The most recent modern estimates place it at 8,000 to 9,000 Light Years and as having a total of 172 member stars. Earlier visual estimates were more on the order of 40 to 60 members. At the above distance the cluster would be about 14 light years in diameter. The latest age estimates are around 25 million years based on the fact that there are no truly bright blue stars, which implies that they have already died as supernovae. For more info and a picture taken with the Kitt Peak National Observatory's 2.1-meter telescope, click here.

George Normandin, KAS

November 19th, 2005

Spiral Galaxy M-104 ( NGC 4594)
aka "The Sombrero Galaxy"

Quote from Burnham's Celestial Handbook:

"This is the well known "Dark Lane" or "Sombrero" galaxy, discovered by P. Mechain in May 1781, and added by Messier to his copy of the Connaissance des Tenps (1784); consequently it has been added in many modern observing guides to the original Messier list, and given the number M-104".

M-104 (NGC 4594) is probably a part of the Coma/Virgo galaxy cluster. It has a bright bulging main mass with a nearly stellar nucleus, and a well defined dark lane traversing the equatorial plane. The dimmer fuzzy "stars" near M-104 in the Koopernik image above are probably some the galaxy's globular star clusters. The Sombrero galaxy has in its nucleus both a very compact and strong nonthermal radio source and a strong X-ray source. It belongs to the class of galaxies with active nuclei known as Seyfert galaxies. (see also M-77)

George Normandin, KAS

June 30th, 2001

Globular Star Cluster M-107 (NGC 6171)

Description of M-107 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 13.0;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 15.6

P. Mechain (April, 1782): \'I discovered a small nebula on the left flank of Ophiuchus......\'

W. Smyth: \'A large but pale granulated cluster of small stars. Five stars around it in a form of a crucifix....... After long gazing becomes more compressed in the center.\'

K. G. Jones\'s \"Messier\'s Nebulae & Star Clusters\": \'M-107 is rather small and faint at first sight but rapidly improves with closer attention. The outline seems a little irregular but can be seen to extend to six arc minutes from a distinct but not quite sharp center.\'

Distance estimate: 20 thousand light years. (But Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!)

• • • M-107, NGC 6171
    • Magnitude: 8.1
    • Constellation: Ophiuchus
    • RA: 16h 32m 30.0s
    • Dec: -13° 03\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 10.0
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

October 2nd, 2001

Spiral Galaxy M-108 (NGC 3556) in Ursa Major

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC):

\"Considerably bright, very large, very moderately extended 79°, westward brighter middle, resolvable, but mottled; = M108.\"
 

Quote by Pierre Mechain: “A nebula close to Beta in Ursa Major.”
 

Quote by K. G. Jones: “This edge-on spiral shows almost no sign of any central \'bulge\'. The spiral arms display heavy obscuration along the major axis, with a few H-II regions emerging as bright condensations against a mottled background.”

NGC 3556 (a.k.a. M-108) is a spiral galaxy of complex shape in the constellation of Ursa Major. Pierre Mechain discovered this galaxy in 1781 or 1782. Messier\'s unpublished notes show that he knew of Mechain\'s discovery, and it is therefore often added to modern listings of the Messier catalog.

This spiral galaxy, seen nearly edge-on, is difficult to classify. There is no apparent nucleus but there is a broad, not very bright bar. There are several complex, partially resolved arms with many dark lanes on one side. Studies with radio telescopes show several shells of neutral hydrogen. The distance to M-108 is roughly 37 million light years.

• M-108, NGC 3556
• Magnitude: 10.7
• Constellation: Ursa Major
• RA: 11h 11m 31.8s
• Dec: +55° 40\' 15\" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 8.7\' x 2.3\'
• Classification: SB(s)cd

                        Barred Spiral Galaxy, S-shaped

George Normandin, KAS

February 28th, 2002

Barred Spiral Galaxy M-109 (NGC 3992) in Ursa Major

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC):

\"Considerably bright, very large, westward moderately extended, abruptly brighter middle, bright resolvable, but mottled nucleus; = M109.\"
 

Quote from The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

\"Very bright, diffuse nucleus, bright smooth bar with dark lane 1.7x0.5, three main filamentary arms with some branching.\"

Quote by Pierre Mechain: ?A nebula close to Gamma in Ursa Major.?
 

Pierre Mechain discovered this barred spiral galaxy in 1781 or 1782. Messier\'s unpublished notes show that he knew of Mechain\'s discovery, and it is therefore often added to modern listings of the Messier catalog.

M-109 is included in a class of galaxies with active nuclei known as LINERs (Low-Ionization Nuclear Emission-line Regions). At least some LINERs are less energetic versions of Seyfert galaxies. Many astronomers believe that active galactic nuclei are powered by the giant black holes lurking in the centers of galaxies. (see also M-77).

The distance to M-109 is roughly 55 million light years, and its diameter is 122,000 light years.

• M-109, NGC 3992
• Magnitude: 10.6
• Constellation: Ursa Major
• RA: 11h 57m 36.2s
• Dec: +53° 22\' 31\" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 7.7\' x 4.7\'
• Classification: SB(rs)bc

                        Barred Spiral Galaxy, Mixed Inner Ring - S-shaped

George Normandin, KAS

June 1st, 2009

Open Star Cluster M-11 (NGC 6705) in Scutum
\"The Wild Geese Cluster\"

A color CCD image taken with STL-1301E camera thru our 20-inch telescope. The field of view is 13x16 arc minutes with North at the top. This was an exposure of 10:10:10 minutes, Red, Blue, Green.

Charles Messier (May 30, 1764):

\'Cluster of a great number of small stars which can be seen in a good telescope. In a 3-foot focal length instrument it looks like a comet. The cluster is mingled with a faint light. 8th magnitude star is in cluster. Seen by Kirch in 1681. Reported on the English Great Atlas.\'

Gottfried Kirch (Discovered M-11 in 1681):

\'A small obscure spot with a star shining through and rendering it more luminous.\'

Walter S. Houston:

\'\"....a carpet of sparkling suns to the very center with outliners swarming on all sides. A good 10-inch shows hundreds of glittering star points all over the field of view..\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 6705:

\'Remarkable!, cluster, very bright, large, irregularly round, rich in stars, 9th magnitude star, stars of magnitude 11 and fainter; = M11.\'

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

\"Exceptionally fine galactic star cluster, lying on the north edge of the prominent Scutum Star Cloud, and one of the outstanding objects of its type for telescopes of moderate aperture.\"

Gottfried Kirch, an astronomer at Berlin Observatory, discovered M-11 in 1681. In 1715 Halley included it in his list of six \'nebulous stars\', and finally in 1732, English amateur astronomer William Derham was the first to recognize that M-11 was a star cluster not a nebula.

According to Burnham\'s there are at least 870 stars visible, plus another 800 invisible companions, with a total mass 2,900 times that of the sun. The distance is about 5,500 light years, considerably closer than the Scutum Star Cloud. An observer at the center of M-11 would see several hundred 1st magnitude stars in his sky, and possibly 40 or so much brighter than Sirius. These are truly bright stars: if the sun was at the same distance it would be magnitude 15.9. The estimated age of the cluster is 500 million years.

George Normandin, KAS

June 3rd, 2006

Elliptical Galaxy M-110 (NGC 205)

Charles Messier: (in \"Observations Astronomiques, 1770-1774\"; Connaissance des Tems, Paris, 1798):

\'On August 10, 1773, I examined, under a very good sky, the beautiful nebula of the girdle of Andromeda [M31], with my achromatic refractor, which I had made to magnify 68 times, for creating a drawing like the one of that in Orion [M42] (Mém. de l\'acad. 1771, pag. 460). I saw that nebula which C. [Citizen] Legentil discovered on October 29, 1749 [M32]. I also saw a new, fainter one, placed north of the great nebula, which was distant from it about 35\' in right ascension and 24\' in declination. It appeared to me amazing that this faint nebula has escaped discovery by the astronomers and myself, since the discovery of the great nebula by Simon Marius in 1612, because when observing the great nebula, this small one is located in the same field [of view] of the telescope...... \'

Welch, Sage, & Mitchell: (in \"The Puzzling Features of the Interstellar Medium in NGC 205\"; Astrophysical Journal, 1998):

\'It has long been suggested that NGC 205 has interacted with M31 in the past.... The recent (burst of star formation) could have been triggered by the interaction, and the blast waves from ensuing supernovae would then have removed most of the remaining gas. Sufficient time has passed since these events for planetary nebulae to have contributed most of the gas we see in this galaxy.....\'

NGC 205 (M110) is a dwarf Elliptical Galaxy and is one of two companions of M-31 (the Andromeda Galaxy; also see M-32). The well-defined nucleus contains a young stellar population, and as the image above shows, the galaxy contains two dust patches. All of these features are rather odd for an elliptical galaxy and probably result from a past interaction with M-31. The galaxy has a rather low surface brightness and can be easily missed when observing M-31 with a small backyard telescope.

M-110 & the Messier Catalog: This object was discovered by Messier on August 10, 1773, but he never included it in his published catalog which ended at M-102. The object was independently discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783. Messier did discuss this object in an article published in 1798, and also included it in his published sketch of M-31. However these references were forgotten until 1960 when, in his book on the Messier Objects and an article in \"Sky & Telescope\", Kenneth Glyn Jones suggested that NGC 205 be included in modern listings of the Messier Catalog as M-110 in recognition of Messier\'s discovery.

• • • M-110, NGC 205
    • Magnitude: 8.9
    • Constellation: Andromeda
    • RA: 00h 40m 22.5s
    • Dec: +41° 41\' 11\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 21.9\' x 10.8\'
    • Classification: E5 pec, Elliptical Galaxy, peculiar
      

George Normandin, KAS

November 25th, 2008

Globular Star Cluster M-12 (NGC 6218)

Description of M-12 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 12.2;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 14.9;
concentration: 9 (low =1 high = 12).

Charles Messier (May 30th, 1764): \'\'\'Contains no star; round, faint; near by is a 9 mag. star. Reported on 2nd chart of comet of 1769.\' (Diam. 3 arc min.)\"

Quotes from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

\'A bright globular star cluster, located about 3.4° NW of M-10 and discovered by Messier in May 1764. M-12 is a slightly larger but somewhat dimmer group than M-10, and has a looser structure showing a relatively slight central condensation. As in the case of most globulars, Messier and Bode both found it unresolvable, and the group was first identified as a cluster by Sir William Herschel in 1783..... M12 is not one of the more concentrated globular clusters, but the relatively loose structure does permit more easy resolution in fairly small telescopes, and it is generally a pleasing object in amateur instruments.

According to Sawyer\'s \"Bibliography of Individual Globular Star Clusters\" M-12 has a total integrated photographic magnitude of 7.95 and an integrated spectral type of F7. Only one variable star has been identified in the cluster. Published values for the distance of M-12 vary from 16,000 to about 24,000 light years; there appears to be a general agreement that it is virtually at the same distance as M-10. The true separation of the two clusters is then about 2,000 light years; each group must appear as a bright naked-eye object of about 2nd magnitude as seen by the hypothetical inhabitants of the other cluster.....

(Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!)

• • • M-12, (NGC 6218)
    • Magnitude: 6.6
    • Constellation: Ophiuchus
    • RA: 16h 47m 12.0s
    • Dec: -01° 57\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 14.5\'
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

July 25th, 2004

Globular Star Cluster M-13 (NGC 6205)

Description of M-13 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 11.9;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 15.0;
concentration: 5 (low =1 high = 12).
The \"Great Hercules Cluster\"; galaxies NGC 6207 and IC 4617 are respectively 30\' and 15\' to the north-east.

Globular Cluster M-13 is perhaps the best known deep sky object in the summer sky. It is just visible to the unaided eye under very dark conditions. Itís bright stars and rather loose structure has made it a favorite target of both amateur and professional astronomers. Although it is a fine object in the smallest of telescopes, views of M-13, like those of other globular clusters, greatly improve with each increase in telescope size. In 1979 Dr. R. Griffin had the lucky chance to observe it visually through the 200 inch Palomar Telescope, and described the view as ërather like looking into a bowl of sugar!í

The cluster was discovered in 1714 by Edmond Halley (of Halleyís Comet fame). However, in the primitive telescopes of early observers like Halley and Charles Messier, M-13 was not resolvable into stars. W. Hershel, in the last part of the 18th century, seems to be the first to recognize M-13 to be a star cluster. He thought that it consisted of about 14,000 stars, but astronomers now estimate that there are a half million stars in the cluster, contained within a sphere of about 100 light years diameter. Current estimates place M-13 at a distance of 25,000 light years, with an age of 14 billion years. (But Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!)

Globular star clusters contain some the oldest stars known. However, strangely, M-13 and other globulars each contain a few blue giants, which are typically very young stars. Since there is no sign of star formation in globular clusters, astronomers have been puzzled by the ìblue cluster starsî for years. However, recent observation and theory suggests that the blue giants in globular clusters are the result of the merging of two old stars, and are not recently formed young stars.

• • • M-13, NGC 6205
    • Magnitude: 5.9
    • Constellation: Hercules
    • RA: 16h 41m 42.0s
    • Dec: +36d 28\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 16.6
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

November 15th, 2009

Globular Star Cluster M-14 (NGC 6402)

Description of M-14 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 14.0;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 17.2

Charles Messier (June 1st, 1764): \'Nebula without star; not large, faint, visible in 3.5-foot telescope. Round; near 9 mag. star. Plotted on chart of comet of 1769. (Diam. 7\')\'

W. Hershel (1783): \'Extremely bright, round, easily resolvable: with 300x I can see the stars. This cluster is considerably behind the scattered stars as some of them are projected upon it.\'

J. Hershel: \'....most beautiful and delicate globular cluster, not very bright, but of the finest star dust, all well resolved, and excessively rich .....all the stars equal ... 15..16 magnitude\'

Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook: M14 is one of those globulars that lack a sharp central condensation, the distribution of light being very smooth across the disc, with a gradual tapering off at the outer edges. Some hint of resolution may be achieved in an 8-inch or 10-inch telescope, but large instruments are required to show the countless members appearing as if the whole field had been powdered with luminous dust. This is evidently a more remote cluster than M10 or M12, and the stars begin to appear in vast numbers at about magnitude 15.5. Long exposure photographs show that the group is not precisely spherical, but distinctly elongated E-W..

One distance estimate for M-14 is 24 thousand light years. (But Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!)

In 1964, the first nova ever to be photographed in a globular cluster was discovered in M-14 by Amelia Wehlau of the University of Western Ontario. The nova actually brightened in 1938 and was found at the later date from plates taken by Helen Sawyer Hogg between 1932 and 1963, using the 74-inch reflector of the David Dunlap Observatory and the 72-inch of the Dominican Astrophysical Observatory. 255 photos were obtained on 124 nights during this period and the nova appears on only eight of them, these being taken on June 21-28th, 1938. The only other nova found in a globular cluster was T Scorpii, discovered in 1860 in M-80.

• • • M-14, NGC 6402
    • Magnitude: 7.6
    • Constellation: Ophiuchus
    • RA: 17h 37m 36.0s
    • Dec: -03° 15\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 11.7
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

October 31st, 2007

Globular Star Cluster M-15 ( NGC 7078)

Description of M-15 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

Brightest stars = magnitude 12.0;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 15.9
Contains the planetary nebula Pease 1, 15.5 mag, 1 sec diameter.
Concentration: 4 (scale 1{dense} to 12{loose})

Globular Star Cluster M-15, in the constellation of Pegasus, is one of the dozen or so best examples of this type of object. Binoculars show it as a \"fuzzy spot\", while a 6 inch telescope will start to resolve it into stars. It has a brilliant and compact core that is difficult to fully resolve. It is about 34,000 ly away, and the combined light from its old stars is nearly 200,000 times brighter than the sun.

Medium-size black hole found in M-15:

Medium-size black holes actually do exist, according to the latest findings from NASA\'s Hubble Space Telescope. These new black holes were found in the cores of glittering, \"beehive\" swarms of stars called globular star clusters, which orbit our Milky Way and other galaxies. The black hole in globular cluster M15 is 4,000 times more massive than our Sun.

Past studies of the stars in this and other globular clusters using current theories of nuclear fusion, indicate that the cluster is over 10 billion years old. While this is older than the current Big Bang theory says is the age of the universe, we at least know that the globular clusters are many billions of years old. Their stars must be some of the first to have formed.

Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster Ages!!

• • • M-15, NGC 7078
    • Magnitude: 6.4
    • Constellation: Pegasus
    • RA: 21h 30m 0.0s
    • Dec: +12d 10\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins): 12.3
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

November 4th, 2003

M-16, A Star Cluster (NGC 6611) and Emission Nebula (IC 4703) in Serpens
aka \"The Eagle Nebula\"

M-16 is a bright young star cluster embedded in an emission nebula lined with clouds of interstellar dust. The redness of the surrounding emission nebula gas is caused by electrons recombining with hydrogen nuclei, while the dark regions are dust lanes that absorb light from background sources. Stars are forming within the nebula, also known as the \"Eagle Nebula\", or, sometimes \"The Star Queen Nebula\". This gorgeous region lies toward the center of our galaxy, some 7,000 light years distant in the Constellation Serpens. The cluster was probably discovered by the French astronomer de Chésaux in 1746, and catalogued by Charles Messier in 1764. Although Messier refers to \'a faint glow\', no other early observers record it. The nebula was probably not discovered until later, when it was found in early photographs by Roberts in 1875 and EE Barnard in 1895. Modern 8-inch telescopes will show the faintly glowing nebula when viewing from dark skies..

Philippe de Cheseaux: (1746) \'A cluster of stars.......\'

Charles Messier: (June 3rd, 1764) \'A cluster of small stars enmeshed in a faint glow.......\'

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

\'.....M16 is one of the most spectacular of the diffuse nebulae, and shows an astonishing amount of fascinating detail. Thrusting boldly into the heart of the cloud rises a huge pinnacle like a cosmic mountain, the celestial throne of the Star Queen herself, wonderfully outlined in silhouette against the glowing fire-mist, where, as modern star pilgrims have learned, countless new stars are to be born. In the vast reaches of the Universe, modern telescopes reveal many vistas of unearthly beauty and wonder, but none, perhaps, which so perfectly evokes the very essence I of celestial vastness and splendor, indefinable strangeness and mystery, the instinctive recognition of a vast cosmic drama being enacted, of a supreme masterwork of art being shown.\'

Click here for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image showing the \"Pillars of Creation\" star forming region that also appears in the Kopernik image above, and here for more info on star formation in M-16.

• • • M-61, NGC 6611 & IC 4703
    • Magnitude: 6.0
    • Constellation: Serpens
    • RA: 18h 18m 48.0s
    • Dec: -13° 47\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 35
    • Classification: Open Star Cluster (NGC 6611) and Emission Nebula (IC 4703).
      

George Normandin, KAS

June 29th, 2006

M-17, An Emission Nebula in Sagittarius
aka The Omega Nebula, (NGC 2068)

M-17 is a bright emission nebula in Sagittarius. It is known as the \"Omega Nebula\" or the \"Swan Nebula\". Swiss astronomer Philippe de Cheseaux discovered M-17 in 1746. Charles Messier re-discovered it 1764. Sir William Huggins, in 1866, was the first to study the light of M-17 with the spectroscope; he announced that the cloud was truly a mass of glowing gas, and not merely an unresolved cluster of stars. The Kopernik image above only shows the bright central 8\' x 8\' arc minute portion of the nebula. One of the largest of the nebulae, M-17 covers about 46 x 46 arc minutes.

P. de Cheseaux: (1746) \'\'A nebula which has never been discovered: it has a shape quite different from the others: it has the perfect form of a ray or the tail of a comet, 7\' long and 2\' wide. Its sides are exactly parallel and quite well terminated. The center is whiter than the edges. It makes an angle of 30° with the meridian.\'

C. Messier: (June 3rd, 1764) \'A train of light without stars, 5\' or 6\' in extent, in the shape of a spindle, a little like that in Andromeda\'s belt (M 31) but the light very faint. In a good sky, seen very well in a 32-foot telescope. Diameter: 5 arc minutes.\'

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

\'For the visual observer, the main feature of M-17 is the long bright comet-like streak across the north edge; on the west end a curved \'hook\" gives the whole nebula a resemblance to a ghostly figure \"2\" with the bright streak forming the base. It requires only the slightest use of the imagination to transform this pattern into the graceful figure of a celestial swan floating in a pool of stars.......The space enclosed by the neck of the swan is evidently an obscuring cloud of some sort, and looks quite dark when compared to the star-strewn sky beyond. Fainter luminous masses extend to the east and north, forming an irregular loop around the whole structure......\'

• • • M-17, NGC 6618
    • Magnitude: 6.0
    • Constellation: Sagittarius
    • RA: 18h 20m 48.0s
    • Dec: -16° 11\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 46 x 46
    • Classification: Emission Nebula.
      

George Normandin, KAS

November 12th, 2007

Globular Star Cluster M-19 ( NGC 6273)

Description of M-19 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

Brightest stars = magnitude 14.0;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 15.3

M19 is one of the most oblate globulars. It is noticeable even in small telescopes. H.Shapley claimed that he could count twice as many stars along the major axis as compared to the minor. The longer diameter orientation is nearly North-South at a Position Angle of about 15 Degrees from north. This is one of the globular clusters which appears to be embedded in the central hub of the Milky Way Galaxy. The cluster is probably somewhat more remote than M10 or M12. It is heavily obscured by gas and dust, making it difficult to determine an accurate distance. Published values range from 20,000 up to about 30,000 light years. M19 shows a radial velocity of 60 miles per second in recession.

• • • M-19, NGC 6273
    • Magnitude: 7.2
    • Constellation: Ophiuchus
    • RA: 17h 02m 36.0s
    • Dec: -26d 16\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 13.5
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS
GeorgePN@worldnet.at.net

August 14th, 1997; revised January 10th, 1998

Globular Star Cluster M-2 ( NGC 7089)

Description of M-2 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 13.1;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 16.1;
concentration: 2 (low =1 high = 12).
Visual observers may be able to detect a curving dark lane in the NE sector of this cluster.

Maraldi (Sept. 1st, 1746): \"This one is round, well terminated and brighter in the center, about 4 or 5 arc minutes in extent and not a single star around it to a pretty large distance; none can be seen in the whole field of the telescope. This appears very singular to me, for most of the stars one calls nebulous are surrounded by many stars, making one think that the whiteness found there is the effect of the light of a mass of stars too small to be seen in the largest telescopes. I took, at first, this nebula for the comet.\"

Charles Messier(Sept. 11th, 1760): \"Nebula without star, center brilliant; surrounded by a circular light resembling the nucleus of a comet. (Diameter 4 arc minutes).\"

PROFESSOR VINCE: who saw M2 in William Herschel\'s 40 foot telescope in Sept. 1779, wrote afterwards, \'The scattered stars were brought to a good, well-determined focus, from which it appears that the central condensed light is owing to a multitude of stars that appeared at various distances behind and near one another. I could actually see and distinguish the stars even in the central mass.\'

SMYTH: ëA fine globular cluster. This magnificent ball of stars condenses to the center and presents so fine a spherical form that imagination cannot but picture the inconceivable brilliance of their visible heavens to its animated myriads.\'

Globular Cluster M-2 in the constellation of Aquarius is about 50,000 light years away, and 150 light years in diameter. (But Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!) Maraldi discovered the cluster in 1746, and Charles Messier rediscovered it in 1760. One of the richer and more compact globular clusters, it gains in impressiveness through its position in a rather blank portion of the sky. The cluster has at least 100,000 stars, the brightest of which are red and yellow giants with absolute magnitudes of about 3. As a comparison, consider that our Sun at such a distance would appear as a star of magnitude 20.7, just detectable with a 10 minute CCD exposure using Kopernikís 20 inch telescope. M-2 is about half a million times more luminous than the Sun.

M-2 is one of the finest Globular Star Clusters in the sky. It is easily seen in small telescopes and even binoculars, but it takes at least an 8 inch telescope to resolve it.

• • • M-2, NGC 7089
    • Magnitude: 6.5
    • Constellation: Aquarius
    • RA: 21h 33m 30.0s
    • Dec: -00d 49\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 12.9
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

July 7th, 2007

M-20, An Emission Nebula in Sagittarius
aka The Trifid Nebula, (NGC 6514)

M-20 is a bright nebula in Sagittarius that is a typical emission nebula, being a large mass of glowing gas excited to emit radiation by a hot stars within it. It is known as the \"Trifid Nebula\" and is possibly a part of the same vast complex of nebulosity that includes the nearby Lagoon Nebula. LeGentil probably first observed it in 1747, during his examination of the Lagoon. M-20 was rediscovered by Messier in June 1764 but he seems to have seen it only as a cluster of faint stars. .

C. Messier: (June 5th, 1764) \'A Cluster of stars a little above the Ecliptic between the bow of Sagittarius and the right foot of Ophiuchus. Reviewed 22 Mar. 1781.\'

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

\'Sir William Herschel found the nebulosity conspicuously divided by a curious pattern of dark lanes, and catalogued the brightest portions as four separate objects. John Herschel was probably the first to call it the \"Trifid\" Nebula, and described it as \"consisting of 3 bright and irregularly formed nebulous masses, graduating away insensibly externally, but coming up to a great intensity of light at their interior edges where they enclose and surround a sort of 3-forked rift or vacant area, abruptly and uncouthly crooked and quite void of nebulous light... A beautiful triple star is situated precisely on the edge of one of these nebulous masses just where the interior vacancy forks into two channels\".\'

Click here for Hubble Space Telescope Image, and here for an American Astronomical Society press release on star formation in the nebula.

Click here for KAS Member Tony Pilato\'s photo of M-20.

• • • M-20, NGC 6514
    • Magnitude: 6.3
    • Constellation: Sagittarius
    • RA: 18h 02m 18.0s
    • Dec: --23° 02\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 29
    • Classification: Emission Nebula.
      

George Normandin, KAS

September 16th, 2003

Open Star Cluster M-26 (NGC 6694) in Scutum

A color CCD image taken with an STL-1301E camera thru our 20-inch telescope focal reduced to about F/5. The field of view is 20x25 arc minutes with North at the top.

Charles Messier (June 20th 1764):

\'A clusterÖ.. Not distinguished with a 3.5 foot (focal length) telescope and it needed a better instrument. I have seen it very well with a Gregorian telescope magnifying 104x. The cluster contains no nebulosity.\'

Smyth:

\'A course but bright cluster of stars in a fine condensed part of the Milky Way.\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 6694:

\'Cluster, considerably large, westward rich in stars, westward compressed, stars of magnitude 12 to 15; = M-26.\'

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

In the small telescope M26 appears as a small but tight group with the brightest star on the Southwest corner and two short curving \"prongs\" of stars pointing upward from the North edge, enclosing a nearly circular dark gap about 2 arc minutes wide. About 25 stars may be counted in the group with a 6-inch telescope; about 70 additional fainter stars are considered to be true cluster member and the true diameter is in the range or 12 to 16 light years.

The latest distance estimates for this cluster of a few hundred stars is 5,200 light years.

George Normandin, KAS

November 7th, 2007

Open Star Cluster M-29 (NGC 6913)

A color CCD image taken with ST-9E camera thru our 20-inch telescope focal reduced to F/5.7. The field of view is 12x12 arc minutes with South at the top. This was a very short exposure of 30:30:45 seconds, Red, Blue, Green.

Charles Messier (Discovered July 29th, 1764):

\'A cluster of 7 or 8 very small stars. Looks like a nebula in 3-foot telescope. Found from Gamma Cygni. Reported on chart of comet of 1779.\'

J. Bode:

\'(No. 69) A star cluster under Gamma in the breast of Cygnus.\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 6913:

\'Cluster, sparse in stars, little compressed, stars large and small; = M29.\'

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

A small and visually rather undistinguished star cluster located in a rich and crowded area of the Cygnus Milky Way about 1.7° SSE from Gamma Cygni. .......it appears in small telescopes as a trapezoid shaped knot of a dozen or so 8th-9th magnitude stars; the group measures about 5\' with a few outliers increasing the total size to possibly 7\' or 8\'. M29 lies in a heavily obscured region of the Galaxy where interstellar absorption produces an estimated 3 magnitudes of dimming. In studies of polarization in the cluster, W.A.Hiltner (1954) found that the density of dust within the cluster is nearly 1,000 times the mean value for the Galaxy; evidently M29 might be a rather striking cluster if it could be seen \"in the clear\". The brightest members are all B-type stars; the stellar population resembling M36 in Auriga, which, however, is much nearer to the Solar System. ........studies suggest a distance of about 7,200 light years for M29, agreeing very well with the early estimates of R.J.Trumpler in 1930. This gives M29 an actual diameter of about 15 light years and a total luminosity of about 50,000 suns.

Data from the Hipparcos satellite shows that two of the brightest stars are actually foreground objects less than 200 light years away.

George Normandin, KAS

December 14th, 2004

Globular Star Cluster M-3 (NGC 5272)
in Canes Venatici

Description of M-3 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 12.7;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 15.7;
concentration: 6 (low =1 high = 12).

Charles Messier (May 3rd, 1764): \'Nebula without star; center brilliant, gradually fading away; round. in a dark sky, visible in a telescope of 1-foot {focal length}. Plotted on chart of comet of 1779. (Diam. 3\')\'

W. Hershel: \'A beautiful cluster of stars about 5\' or 6\' diam.\'

Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook: Large telescopes show an incredible swarm of countless star images, massing to a wonderful central blaze, with glittering streams of stars running out on all sides.

M-3, in the constellation of Canes Venatici, is a beautiful bright globular star cluster, certainly as splendid as any in the northern sky. Visually, it is similar to M-2 or M-15. It must contain a quarter of a million stars. Astronomers have studied M-3 intensively in order to estimate the age of clusters and the evolution of stars. Its age has been estimated as 5 billion years (Baade), and 11.4 billion years (Woolf). In 1958, Hoyle, using a computer to evaluate different theoretical models, and comparing the results with the observed color-magnitude diagram for this cluster, obtained an age of 6.5 billion years. There have also been several differing distance estimates, anywhere from 35 to 45 thousand light years. If M-3 is 40 thousand light years distant, its diameter is about 220 light years. (But Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!)

Globular star clusters contain some of the oldest stars known. However, it was shown by Sandage in 1953 that one unusual feature of M-3 is that it contains a very young, blue star of spectral type O8 (see also M-13). Since there is no sign of star formation in globular clusters, astronomers have been puzzled by the ìblue cluster starsî for years. Recent observation and theory suggests that the blue giants in globular clusters are the result of the merging of two old stars, and are not recently formed young stars.

• • • M-3, NGC 5272
    • Magnitude: 6.4
    • Constellation: Canes Venatici
    • RA: 13h 42m 12.0s
    • Dec: +28d 23\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 16.2
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

May 2nd, 2009

Globular Star Cluster M-30 (NGC 7099) in Capricornus

Description of M-30 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 12.1
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 15.1
Concentration: 5 (scale 1{dense} to 12{loose})

Charles Messier (August 3rd, 1764): \'Nebula discovered near 41 Capricorni (Flamsteed). Seen with difficulty in 3.5-foot telescope. Round, contains no star. Found from x Capricorni. Reported on chart of comet of 1759. Diam.2\' Hand written notes in Messier\'s copy of his catalog include the following: \"Seen only with difficulty in an ordinary telescope of 3.5-feet. It is round and I saw no star there having observed it with a good Gregorian telescope of 104x\"

W. Hershel (1783): \'(Resolved into)..\'a brilliant cluster with two rows of stars, 4 or 5 in a line which probably belong to it.\'

Admiral Smyth: \'A fine, pale white cluster. This object is brighter and from the straggling streams of stars on its N edge, has an elliptical aspect with a central blaze: few other stars in the field.\'

Dreyer\'s description of NGC 7099 in his New General Catalog(NGC): \"Remarkable!, globular cluster, bright, large, little extended, gradually westward much brighter middle, stars of magnitude 12 to 16.\"

Several sources give the distance to M-30 as about 40,000 light years, and at that distance the true diameter would be 100 light years. But Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!

• • • M-30, NGC 7099
    • Magnitude: 7.5
    • Constellation: Capricornus
    • RA: 21h 40\' 23.9\"
    • Dec: -23° 11\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size: (mins) 11
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

November 13th, 2009

A 30 minute exposure with an STL-1301E CCD Camera thru Kopernik\'s 20-inch Ritchey-Chretien Cassegrain telescope working at F/5.3. The field of view is about 20x23 arc minutes with North at the top.

• • • • Click here to see wide field images showing the entire Andromeda, plus additional information on the galaxy.
        

Nucleus of the Andromeda Galaxy:

The Kopernik image above shows only the central portion of Spiral Galaxy M-31, the Andromeda Galaxy. Even a small telescope shows a gradually brightening central bulge and a star-like nucleus. Like other spiral galaxies M-31 has a central bulge of very ancient stars that are yellow to red in color. The image also shows the beginnings of the outer disk and spiral arms, including dust clouds. Astronomers now believe that all galaxies have a very massive black hole at the very center of the nucleus. However in the case of M-31, images from the Hubble Space Telescope show that M-31 has a double nucleus, with the second massive object perhaps being the nucleus of another galaxy that M-31 had cannibalized in the recent past.

THE COMPANIONS OF THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY: M-31 has four small satellite companions, dwarf systems of the elliptical type. All are apparently at the distance of the main system and are gravitationally connected with it. They are M-32(NGC 221), M-110(NGC 205), NGC 147, and NGC 185.

George Normandin, KAS

December 1st, 2008

The above was taken with a Canon Rebel DSLR thru a VERNONscope 80mm APO refractor.

The above image was taken by KAS Member G. Normandin at Indian Lake NY in the Adirondack Mountains using a Canon Rebel DSLR and a 200mm telephoto lens.

• • • • • Click here to see a wide field photo of the Constellation of Andromeda, with the stars and M-31 identified.
          
        • Click here to see the same photo without the markings.

• • • • • Click here to see an image of the central nucleus of the galaxy taken with Kopernik\'s 20-inch telescope.
          

Simon Marius: (Dec 15, 1612) \'....like a flame of a candle seen through horn. ....whitish, irregular and faint; brighter toward the center.\'

G. B. Hodierna: (before 1654) \'A very admirable nebula never seen to my knowledge by anyone. Ö. No multitude of close stars can be distinguished in it Ö. It has a glow similar to a comet.\'

Charles Messier: (Aug 3, 1764) \'A beautiful nebula shaped like a spindle. No star recognized. Ö.resembles two cones or pyramids, base to baseÖ.. Discovered by Simon Marius and reported on the English Atlas.\'

Quote from the Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

Not a difficult object to the unaided eye under reasonably dark skies; darker sites will reveal a noticeable elongation in the object.

NGC 206: A star cloud in the SW part of M-31.... it is extended N-S and is best defined on the E flank.

The Great Andromeda Galaxy is the brightest and nearest of all the spiral galaxies. It is also the only one which is an obvious naked-eye object. With the naked eye it appears as a small elongated fuzzy light about 1 degree west of the star Nu Andromedae. On a really clear night a pair of 7x50 binoculars will show the full length, extending to over 4 degrees. However, even the largest telescopes show little more than an elongated misty patch which gradually brightens in the center to a nearly star-like nucleus. A sharp eyed observer using at least an 8-inch telescope under a dark and clear sky, can see both the prominent dark lane on the northwest edge of the central hub, and the bright star cloud near the south tip. However, except for these faint details, the galaxy remains a smoothly luminous glow, without a hint of resolution.

It takes a long-exposure photograph or CCD image, using a large telescope, to expose the true nature of M-31. The \"Little Cloudî, in Andromeda is actually a vast galaxy, an aggregation of billions of stars like our own Milky Way. It has an elongated oval appearance because it is inclined only 15 degrees from the edge-on position. It is actually round and flat, with a spiral pattern. When looking at M-31 we are not only looking out through space across the enormous distance of about 13 thousand quadrillion miles(2.2 million light years); but we are also looking back through time, to a period about 2.2 million years ago........

Since M-31 is quite easily visible to the naked eye, ancient astronomers knew of it. The first written record is that of Al Sufi, who included it in his ìBook of the Fixed Stars for AD 964î as a \'little cloud\', and a familiar object which he had observed as early as AD 905.

Simon Marius, a contemporary of Galileo, was the first to examine it through the telescope on Dec. 15th, 1612 and described it in the preface to his Mundus Jovialis as, \'like the flame of a candle seen through horn\'....

Erik Holmberg\'s Catalogue of External Galaxies, gives M 31 a total mass of 320 billion Suns. At least 300 globular clusters surround M 31. The spiral arms are mostly colored blue and most of the gas, dust, and blue stars are at the junction of the spiral arms and the nucleus. These are regions of young, Population I stars...... Nevertheless, more than 90 per cent of the mass of M-31 consists of the older stars of Population II.

THE COMPANIONS OF THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY: M-31 has four small satellite companions, dwarf systems of the elliptical type. All are apparently at the distance of the main system and are gravitationally connected with it. They are M-32(NGC 221), M-110(NGC 205), NGC 147, and NGC 185.

George Normandin, KAS

September 21st, 2008

Elliptical Galaxy M-32 (NGC 221)

This is a 10 minute exposure with an STL-1301E CCD camera thru Kopernik\'s 20-inch telescope. By using a focal reducing lens we cut the normal F/8.1 focal ratio down to F/5.3. The field of view is about 20x25 arc minutes, with north at the top.

Note that the bright and dark areas filling most of the upper right half of the image is a part of the Andromeda Galaxy, M-31.

LE GENTIL: \'While observing the Andromeda Nebula with a fine 18 foot telescope ... I saw another small nebula, about one minute in diameter which appeared to throw out two small rays; one to the right and the other to the left.\'

C. MESSIER: \'(Aug. 3rd, 1764) \'Small nebula without a star. Round, much fainter than M 31.\'

Binoculars show M-32 as a fuzzy 9th magnitude \"star\" just to the south of the central mass of the Andromeda Galaxy, M-31. Messier said that it was first seen by Le Gentil in 1749.

Quote from K.G. Jones\'s Messier\'s Nebulae & Star Clusters:

\"M-32 is an elliptical galaxy like the other companions M-31. The total mass of M 32 is about 3 billion solar masses and its diameter is about 8,000 light-years. Although probably formed at the same time as M 31, M-32 is at a much later stage of development. It appears to have lost most, if not all, of its interstellar gas and dust, after having passed more than once through the disc of the larger galaxy.\"

• M-32, NGC 221
• Magnitude: 9.1
• Constellation: Andromeda
• RA: 00h 42m 41.8s
• Dec: +40d 51\' 55\" Epoch 2000
• Size (mins): 8.8 x 6.5
• Classification: cE2
                          Compact Elliptical
  
  

George Normandin, KAS

November 30th, 2008

Spiral Galaxy M-33 ( NGC 598 )
the \"Pinwheel Galaxy\"

M-33, known as \"the Pinwheel Galaxy\", is one of the bright members of the Local Group of Galaxies, and probably the nearest spiral galaxy after the Andromeda system, M-31. It is one of the notable discoveries of Charles Messier. Messier thought the apparent size to be about 15\'. J.E.Bode, in 1775, saw it as \"a faintly illuminated nebulous patch of disorderly shape\".

CHARLES MESSIER: (Aug. 25th, 1764) \'The nebula is a whitish light of almost even brightness. However, along two-thirds of its diameter it is a little brighter. Contains no star......\'.

Quote from The Publications of Lick Observatory, Volume XIII:

\'A close rival to M-31 as the most beautiful spiral known. With its faintest extensions it covers an area of at least 55\'X40\'. it is uncertain whether there is an actual stellar nucleus. A multitude of stellar condensations in the whorls. Best example of resolution into stars.\'

M-33 is a challenging object for the small telescope because of its great size and rather low surface brightness. While some find it easily visible in binoculars, or even with the naked eye, others report complete inability to see the galaxy at all. Many observers look for a much smaller and brighter object, rather than a dim glow comparable in apparent size to the Moon. Sky conditions are critical, and inexperienced observers often use too high a power on small instruments. Faint and extended luminous objects are visible only because of contrast against the sky background; dark skies and wide-angle eyepieces are essential. M-33 is easily visible in large binoculars.

With modern telescopes, M-33 is the easiest of all galaxies to resolve; masses of star clouds and even bright individual stars show clearly in our CCD images. M-33 is revealed as a huge double-armed spiral of star clouds curving about the bright nuclear mass. The arms are thick and clumpy, dotted with nebulous regions, and the spiral structure is loose and irregular when compared with such symmetrical galaxies as M-81. NGC 604, which is one of the most conspicuous of the separate \'knots\' in M-33, has been found to have a spectrum similar to the Orion Nebula, M-42. The outermost diameter of 90 arc minutes corresponds to 60,000 light years at the accepted distance of 2.5 million light years. The rotational period in the region of the rim has been measured at about 200 million years.

George Normandin, KAS

January 25th, 2009

Open Star Cluster M-34 (NGC 1039) in Perseus

This image was taken with a Canon Rebel DSLR camera thru a VERNONscope 80mm APO Refractor. It is an 8 minute exposure.

Charles Messier(Aug. 25th, 1764):

\'A cluster of small stars a little below the parallel of Gamma Andromedae. In a ordinary telescope of 3 feet (focal length) one can distinguish the stars......\'

Thomas Webb:

\'Just perceptible to the naked eye; a very grand low-power field. One of the finest objects of its class. Contains an 8th magnitude pair 20 arc seconds apart.\'

Quote from The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

\"Rich in stars; large brightness range; slight central concentration; detached.\"

M-34 (NGC 1039) is an open star cluster in the Constellation of Perseus with about 80 member stars. Studies show that it is more \'middle age\' for an open cluster, with an estimated age of 100 million years. Unfortunately there is great variability in the distance estimates, but most consider it to be about 1,400 light years away and about 18 light years in diameter. Walter Scott Houston, the long-time \"Deep Sky Wonders\" columnist (Sky & Telescope) considered M-34 to be a rather sparse cluster and noted \"Öit is not more spectacular in a large telescope, as it does not seem to have the needed fainter stars to buttress the view. Rather I feel that 15x65 binoculars give the best impressionÖÖ\"

George Normandin, KAS

January 21st, 2008

Open Star Cluster M-35 (NGC 2168) in Gemini

This is a 15 minute exposure taken with a Canon Rebel DSLR camera thru a VERNONscope 80mm APO Refractor. North is at the top.

Philippe de Cheseaux (1746):

\'A star cluster above the northern feet of Gemini.\'

Charles Messier(Aug. 30th, 1764):

\'A cluster of very small stars near the left foot of Castor; .....Reported on the chart of the comet of 1770...(and) on the English Atlas. Diam. 20 arc minutes.\'

Thomas Webb:

\'Beautiful and extensive region of small stars, a nebula to the naked eye. Elegant festoon near the center, starting with a reddish star.\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 2168:

Cluster, very large, considerably rich in stars, westward compressed, stars of magnitude 9 to 16; = M35.

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

M35 is an excellent object for any small telescope; while particularly effective with a 6 or 8-inch scope with low power, something of its beauty can be appreciated in even a 80mm instrument. Curving rows of bright stars give an impression of rows of glittering lamps on a chain; fainter stars form a sparkling background with an orange star near the center. S.Raab in his paper \"Research on Open Clusters\" describes it as \"a splendid specimen, a very large thin and circular cluster, without sharply conspicuous condensation. On the contrary, the center seems to be rather void of stars. In the vicinity of the center is a gathering of 5 or 6 stars ....the cluster passes imperceptibly into the environs..\" Lord Rosse counted 300 stars in the group, out to a radius of 13\'. Lassel, observing with a 24-inch reflector, called this cluster \"a marvelously striking object - the field of view is perfectly full of brilliant stars, unusually equal in magnitude and distribution over the whole area. Nothing but a sight of the object itself can convey an adequate idea of its exquisite beauty.\" W.T.Olcott also classed M35 as one of the finest clusters in the heavens, and several observers have commented on the tendency of the stars to occur in curving rows, reminding one of the bursting of a skyrocket.

The rich little galactic cluster NGC 2158 can be seen as a fuzzy patch to the lower right of M-35 in the image above.

The best distance and diameter estimates are: distance = 2,850 light years, diameter = 23 light years. Hopefully the recent data from the Hipparcos satellite will provide accurate figures.

George Normandin, KAS

March 25th, 2008

Open Star Cluster M-36 (NGC 1960)

Open star cluster M-36 was discovered by Hodierna before 1654 as \'a nebulous patch\' and re-discovered by Le Gentil in 1749. Other nearby star clusters in Auriga include M-37 and M-38, both also first observed by Hodierna and Le Gentil.

Le Gentil (1749):

\'An improperly called nebula . . . above the northern horn of Taurus. It requires a telescope of 12 feet to show that it consists only of stars.\'

Charles Messier (Sept. 2nd, 1764):

\'A cluster of stars in Auriga..... With an ordinary telescope of 3.5 feet it is difficult to distinguish the stars. The cluster contains no nebulosity. Diameter 9 arc minutes.\'

Thomas Webb:

\'Beautiful assemblage of stars, 8-14 mag. Very regularly arranged.\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 1960:

Cluster, bright, very large, very rich in stars, little compressed, stars of magnitude 9 to 11 scattered; = M36.

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

......contains about 60 stars of magnitudes 9 to 14. The central knot of bright stars measures about 10 arc minutes in diameter, and includes the easy double star sigma 737, separation 10.7 arc seconds. The group makes its best impression with a fairly low power (20X to 50X) on a 6-inch or 8-inch telescope. M36 is one of the younger galactic star clusters, containing bright B-type stars among its members, and would be as splendid a group as the famous Pleiades if it were some 10 times closer.

The best distance and diameter estimates are: distance = 3,700 light years, diameter = 21 light years. Hopefully the recent data from the Hipparcos satellite will provide accurate figures.

George Normandin, KAS

January 8th, 2002

Open Star Cluster M-37 (NGC 2099)

This is a CCD image taken with an ST-6 CCD camera thru a VERNONscope 80mm APO Refractor. The field of view is about one square degree, with north at the top. The resolution of 14.5 arc seconds per pixel is rather poor. This results from using the ST-6 camera with such a short focal length telescope; this is not surprising, since we got it for our 20 inch F/8 telescope.

Open star cluster M-37 was discovered by Hodierna before 1654 as \'a nebulous patch\' and re-discovered by Le Gentil in 1749. Other nearby star clusters in Auriga include M-36 and M-38, both also first observed by Hodierna and Le Gentil.

Charles Messier (Sept. 2nd, 1764):

\'A cluster of small stars a little removed from the preceding(M 36), the stars are smaller, more close together and enclosing some of the nebulosity. With an ordinary telescope of 3.5 feet, it is difficult to see the stars. Reported on chart of comet of 1771. Diam. 9 arc minutes.\'

Smyth:

\'A magnificent object; the whole field being strewn, as it were, with sparkling gold dust and the group is resolvable into about 500 stars from 10-14 mag. Besides outliers.\'

Thomas Webb:

\'Even in small instruments, extremely beautiful; one of the finest of its class. Gaze at it well and long!\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 2099:

Cluster, rich in stars, westward compressed middle, stars large & small; = M37.

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

A superb galactic star cluster for telescopes of all sizes, usually considered the finest of the three Messier open clusters in Auriga........ It will probably look like a nebula in instruments smaller than 12-inch aperture, but in anything larger than a 2-inch, some of the individual stars will be seen easily. \"A diamond sunburst\", as C.E. Barns described it, this striking cluster is a virtual cloud of glittering stars. ...... The Earl of Rosse commented on the \"wonderful loops and curved lines of stars\", which seem also to be a feature of some other galactic clusters, as M-35 in Gemini, for example. M37 contains about 150 stars down to magnitude 12.1; the total population may be in excess of 500 stars. The stellar population of this cluster is significantly different from that of M-36, and suggests an older and more evolved group of stars. An age of somewhat over 200 million years is indicated by current knowledge of stellar evolution. The earliest type star in the cluster is of spectral class B9 V, and the majority of the other bright members are main sequence A stars with absolute magnitudes of about -1. But the cluster also contains at least a dozen red giants. The brightest of these has a visual magnitude of about 9.2 and stands out near the cluster center \"like a ruby on a field of diamonds\".

The best distance and diameter estimates are: distance = 4,600 light years, diameter = 25 light years. Hopefully the recent data from the Hipparcos satellite will provide accurate figures.

George Normandin, KAS

January 31st, 2000

Open Star Cluster M-38 (NGC 1912) in Auriga

The picture above is a CCD image taken with an ST-6 CCD camera a VERNONscope 80mm APO Refractor. The field of view is about one square degree, with north at the top. The resolution of 14.5 arc seconds per pixel is rather poor. See the image below for greater resolution.

Globular Star Cluster M-4 (NGC 6121) in Scorpius

P.L. de Cheseaux (Discovered M-4 in 1746):

\'Close to Antares . . . it is white, round and smaller than the preceding ones. I do not think it has been found before.\'

Charles Messier (May 8th, 1764):

\'\'Cluster of very small stars: with an inferior telescope it appears more like a nebula; this cluster is situated near Antares and on the same parallel. Observed by M. de la Caille and reported in his catalogue. Reviewed 30th Jan. and Mar. 22nd 1781. Diam. 2.5 arc min.\'

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

\"Fine globular star cluster, one of the largest objects of its type, and also one of the nearest. It is probably the easiest of all the bright globulars to locate; merely point the telescope to Antares, and then move 1.3° directly west, and there you are. M-4 is located quite easily in binoculars and may even be detected without optical aid under good sky conditions.............\"

Description of M-4 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Brightest stars = magnitude 13.4;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 15.8;
concentration: 9 (low =12 high = 1).

This cluster was discovered in 1746 by de Cheseaux. Current estimates place M-4 at a distance of 10,000 light years, with an age of 14 billion years. (But Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!).

• • • M-4, NGC 6121
    • Magnitude: 5.9
    • Constellation: Scorpius
    • RA: 16h 23m 36.0s
    • Dec: -26° 32\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 26.3
    • Classification: Globular Cluster
      

George Normandin, KAS

August 19thst, 2006

M-42 and M-43, An Emission Nebula in Orion
aka The Great Orion Nebula, (NGC 1976)

Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc: (Nov. 26, 1610) \'In the middle of Orion .... Composed of two stars, there is a nebula....\'

Giovanni Battista Hodierna: (1654) \'.... [shines] in the sword of Orion and includes 22 stars as one can see with the telescope. But this Luminosa is more admirable because of some un-resolvable luminosity in whose middle can be seen three stars....\'

Christiaan Huygens: (1656) \'....in the sword of Orion are three stars quite close together. In 1656.... twelve showed themselves.... Three of these almost touched each other and, with four others, shone through a nebula so that the space around them seemed brighter than the rest of the heavens....\'

C. Messier: (March 4th, 1769) \'...the fine nebula in Orion\'s sword, around the star Theta which is included with three other stars, smaller than can be seen in some good instruments. Messier has prepared a drawing in which he has included the details of this Great Nebula with the greatest care, which can be seen in the Memoirs of the Academy for 1771. Huyghens discovered it in 1656. It had been observed since by many astronomers. Reported on the English Atlas.\'

The Orion Nebula (M-42 and M-43; aka NGC 1976) is one of the brightest emission nebulae (gas cloud shining by its own light) to be found in the sky. It can be seen with the un-aided eye as a fuzzy star in the sword region of Orion, and even small binoculars reveals its nebulous nature. M-42 is in fact a blister on the surface of a much larger nebula, the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex (OMC). The OMC extends throughout the constellation of Orion and includes Barnard\'s Loop, the Horsehead Nebula, M43, M78 and the Flame Nebula. M-42/43 is a region of ionized gas and a major star forming region. The gas glows because it is being excited by ultraviolet light from the newly formed stars in the Trapezium Star Cluster. While many older sources say that the Orion Nebula is 1,600 light years away, several studies carried out in 2006 and 2007 agree on a closer distance of 1,350 light years.

• • • M-42, NGC 1976
    • Magnitude: 4.0
    • Constellation: Orion
    • RA: 05h 35m 24.0s
    • Dec: : -05° 27\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 66 x 60
    • Classification: Emission Nebula.
      

George Normandin, KAS

December 19th, 2009

Open Star Cluster M-44 ( NGC 2632 )
\"Praesepe\" or the ìBeehiveî

This is a color photograph of M-44 taken thru Kopernik\'s 8 inch F/1.5 Schmidt Camera. The field of view is about 4 x 5 degrees, and the photo is mirror-reversed. This was a 5 minute exposure using hypered Fuji 800G film.

\"Praesepe\" or the ìBeehiveî star cluster, is sometimes called the Manger. It is one of the largest, nearest, and brightest of the galactic star clusters. It is clearly visible to the unaided eye, and appears as a nebula, but even an opera glass will reveal its stellar nature. The cluster\'s apparent size is over twice that of the full moon, and thus it needs a low-power telescope and a wide-field eyepiece. Binoculars will also give a very pleasing view.

Ancient Greek astronomers wrote of Praesepe as far back as 300BC. In 130BC Hipparchus included it in his star catalogue as a ìcloudy starî. However, it wasnít until Galileo turned his new telescope on it in 1609, that M-44 was discovered to be a star cluster.

Although it is a galactic, or open cluster, M-44 at 400 million years, is much older than a cluster like the Pleiades. M-44 consists of at least 200 stars, and itís estimated distance is 600 light years.

George Normandin, KAS

May 7th, 1998

Open Star Cluster M-45 - \"The Pleiades\"

This image was taken with a Canon Rebel DSLR camera thru a VERNONscope 80mm APO Refractor.

Homer, the \"Odyssey\":

\'Ulysses sat at the helm and never slept, keeping his eyes upon the Pleiades.....\'

Charles Messier(March 4th, 1769):

\'A cluster of stars, known by the name of the Pleiades.\'

Thomas Webb:

\'Nebula seen in a 2-inch telescope, but invisible in an 11-inch.\'

from Tennyson\'s poem (1837) Locksley Hall:

\'Many a night I saw the Pleiads, rising thro\' the mellow shade,
Glitter like a swarm of fire-flies tangled in a silver braid.\'.

The Pleiades have been known since ancient times. They were mentioned by Homer about 750 B.C., by biblical Amos about 750 B.C., and by Hesiod about 700 B.C. At least 6 member stars are visible to the unaided eye, while under excellent conditions this jumps up to more than a dozen. Vehrenberg, in his Atlas of Deep Sky Splendors, mentions that in 1579, well before the invention of the telescope, astronomer Moestlin had correctly drawn 11 Pleiades stars, while Kepler quotes observations of up to 14. The Pleiades is also known as \"The Seven Sisters\", based on an ancient Greek myth, where the stars of the cluster are the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione: Alcyone, Asterope, Celaeno, Electra, Maia, Merope, and Taygeta, all half-sisters of the Hyades. According to the myth the sisters were pursued thru the woods by the hunter Orion for five years until an angry Zeus placed all of them, including Orion\'s dog (Canis Major) in the night sky.

M-45 is a relatively young open star cluster consisting of at least 500 member stars. The current age estimate is about the cluster is about 100,000 years old. The brightest member stars are all rapidly rotating hot blue giants. There is recent evidence of a dust disk around one of the dimmer members, which may mean that there are planets being formed in the cluster.

Reflection Nebula: The Pleiades appear to be surrounded by intricate blue filaments of light. This nebulosity is the result of starlight scattering (reflecting) off minute grains of interstellar dust in the vicinity. The dust particles are inside a cloud of mostly hydrogen gas that the cluster seems to be plowing into. This is believed to be a random circumstance, and that the dust in the reflection nebula is not the remains of the gas cloud that M-45 formed from. Some of the brightest strands loop around the bright member star Merope (the Merope Nebula, or NGC 1435).

The Distance Controversy: The distance to the Pleiades is of major importance to modern astronomy because it is one of the major facts needed for our understanding of the distance to most other objects. For many years various studies indicated a distance of about 440 light years. However, data from the Hipparcos satellite, designed to give the best estimates available for near star distances, came up with a distance of about 330 light years. Many astronomers were dismayed and believed that the Hipparcos estimate was too small. More recent estimates by the Hubble Space Telescope (and other instruments) have agreed with the older 440 light year figure. The Hipparcos team has issued a revised distance based on a new analysis of their data that is 399 +/- 6, light years. Astronomers are currently locked in a major battle over the interpretation of the data from the various instruments. A new, more accurate distance determining satellite is projected for launch soon. (Refer to the following Sky & Telescope news item.).

George Normandin, KAS

November 25th, 2007

Open Star Cluster M-46 (NGC 2437) in Puppis

This is a CCD image taken with an STL-1301E CCD camera thru a 20-inch RC Cassegrain working at F/5.3. The field of view is about 20x20 arc minutes, with north at the top.

This is a 10 minute exposure taken with a Canon DSLR camera thru a Brandon 80mm APO refractor. North is at the top.

The wider field view above is also from the image taken with the 80mm Brandon APO refractor.

Charles Messier:

(February 19th, 1771) \'\'Cluster of very small stars..... The stars can not be distinguished except in a good telescope. The cluster contains a little nebulosity.\'\'

Webb:

\'\'Beautiful circular cloud of small stars about a half-degree in diameter.\'\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 2437:

\"Remarkable! Cluster, very bright, very rich in stars, very large, involved planetary nebula; = M46\"

Quote from: \"Messier\'s Nebulae and Star Clusters\" by Ken Jones:

\"When atmospheric conditions are suitable, M-46 is a fine sight, being at least a half-degree in diameter and very rich in faint stars which are condensed in the central area of the cluster. The brighter stars streach away to the north and east...... The Planetary Nebula NGC 2438 lies within the boundary of the cluster about 10 arc minutes northeast of the center, and being fairly large and diffuse it needs the very best conditions.... Its annular form can just be made out in an 8-inch......\"

The best distance estimate from the Hipparcos satellite is 7,250 light years. Recent data shows that the planetary nebula NGC 2438 may be about the same distance. However, its radial velocity is about twice that of the open cluster. Generally planetary nebulae are old objects while open clusters are young. It would seem that NGC 2438 is not an actual part of M-46.

George Normandin, KAS

April 10th, 2005, revised March 7th, 2008

Open Star Cluster M-47 (NGC 2422) in Puppis

A color image taken with a Canon DLSR camera thru our Brandon 80mm telescope. North is at the top.

A Click here for an image with the star clusters identified.

Charles Messier (February 19th 1771):

\'Cluster of stars, little distant from the preceding; the stars are greater [brighter]; the middle of the cluster was compared with the same star, 2 Navis. The cluster contains no nebulosity.\'

Smyth:

\'A double star in a loose star cluster of the Milky Way, over the Argo\'s sternÖÖ. Star A 7.5 magnitude, and star B 8th magnitude, both bright bluish white. They inhabit a very splendid field of large and small stars, disposed somewhat in lozenge shapeÖÖ The cluster was not registered till 1785 [actually it was seen by Messier but wrongly positioned by him]ÖÖÖ.\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 2422:

\'Cluster, bright, very large, westward rich in stars, stars large and small; = M47.\'

Quote from Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000:

\"Moderately rich in bright and faint stars with a strong central concentration; detached. Number of stars: 117. Magnitude of brightest star: 5.0\"

M-47 is a loose Open Star Cluster in Puppis that is located very close to M-46. Both of these objects are easily visible in binoculars. However, thanks to its bright stars, M-47 is the most noticeable cluster in the area. Just to the north is the dimmer open cluster NGC 2423, and the small dim cluster NGC 2425 is in the same area, but it requires an 8-inch or larger telescope to see easily. The cluster lies approximately 1,600 light years away and spans a diameter of about 12 light years. It is receding from us at 9 kilometers per second. The age of the cluster is estimated to be 78 million years. Two bright members of the cluster are classed as K giants and are orange in color, while the remaining stars are bright blue giants. Each of these stars is approximately 200 times the luminosity of our sun.

George Normandin, KAS

March 1st, 2008

Open Star Cluster M-48 (NGC 2548)

This is a CCD image taken with an ST-6 CCD camera thru a VERNONscope 80mm APO Refractor. The field of view is about one square degree, with north at the top. The resolution of 14.5 arc seconds per pixel is rather poor. This results from using the ST-6 camera with such a short focal length telescope; this is not surprising, since we got it for our 20 inch F/8 telescope.

Charles Messier(February 19th, 1771):

\'Cluster of very small stars without nebulosity. This cluster is a short distance from the 3 stars which form the beginning of the Unicorn\'s tail.\'

Quote from Dreyer\'s New General Catalog(NGC) for NGC 2548:

Cluster, Very Large, Pretty Rich, Pretty Much Compressed, stars 9th thru 13th magnitude.

Quote from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

Generally triangular in outline, the cluster is dominated by a central chain-like grouping of ten or so 10th and 11th magnitude stars; several dozen fainter members increase the total population to about 50 stars down to the 13th magnitude. M-48 contains three yellow giants of type G or K, but virtually all the other members are A-type main sequence stars; the brightest of these has an apparent magnitude of 8.8 and a spectral class of A2. The true luminosity of this star is about 70 times that of the Sun......... the true luminosity {of M48} is about 1,400 times the Sun.

M-48 is one of the \"Missing Messier Objects\" (they are M-47, M-48, M-91 & M-102). There is nothing at the coordinates provided by Messier. However, almost exactly 5 degrees directly south lies the bright cluster NGC 2548, and it fits Messier\'s verbal description, including being \".....a short distance from the 3 stars which form the beginning of the Unicorn\'s tail.\" Apparently Messier made a 5 degree math error, and today, all published lists of the Messier Catalog include NGC 2548 as M-48.

The best distance and diameter estimates are: distance = 1,500 light years, diameter = 20 light years. Hopefully the recent data from the Hipparcos satellite will provide accurate figures.

George Normandin, KAS

December 26th, 1998

Globular Star Cluster M-5 (NGC 5904)

Description of M-5 in The Deep Sky Field Guide to Uranometria 2000 (c) Willmann-Bell, Inc.:

Slightly oval in shape, NE to SW.
Brightest stars = magnitude 12.2;
horizontal branch stars magnitude = 15.1;
concentration: 5(low =1 high = 12).

Charles Messier (May 23rd, 1764): \'\'A fine nebula which I am sure contains no star. Round; seen well in a good sky in a telescope of 1-foot focal length. Plotted on the chart of comet of 1763. Diameter: 3 arc minutes.\"

Quotes from Burnham\'s Celestial Handbook:

\'With a pair of good binoculars, the observer may obtain a glimpse of M-5 as a small fuzzy-looking star-like spot of the 7th magnitude; in a 3-inch refractor it is a bright round nebula about 5\' in size. Resolution begins to be apparent in telescopes of 4-inch or larger, and the angular size increases also as fainter outlying stars come into view. Walter S. Houston thinks it attains about 27\' in his 10-inch reflector, under exceptionally clear skies.....

There is a general agreement that the distance of the group is about 26,000 or 27,000 light years; a little more remote than M13. The two clusters appear to be very nearly identical in size and luminosity; the total population of each is probably in excess of half a million stars.........

The ... author (observed) M-5 through the fine 40-inch Ritchey-Chretien reflector of the U.S. Naval Observatory ...... In that first stunning view it seemed as if the fireflies of a thousand summer nights had been gathered here, frozen forever in time and suspended among the stars........\'

Globular Star Cluster M-5 in the constellation of Serpens Caput is one of the great show objects of the summer sky, ranking with M-13 in Hercules and M-3 in Canes Venatici as one of the three finest globulars in the north half of the sky. Discovery of M-5 is credited to the German astronomer Gottfried Kirch, who became director of the Royal Observatory in Berlin in 1705. From an account given by his wife, Marie Margarethe, it is known that the discovery occurred on the night of May 5, 1702, while Kirch was looking for a comet. Charles Messier rediscovered M-5 in May 1764. However, it was not until 1791 that Sir William Herschel resolved it and found that it was a star cluster and not a nebula.

(Click here for the latest news on Globular Star Cluster distances and ages!!)

• • • M-5, (NGC 5904)
    • Magnitude: 5.8
    • Constellation: Serpens Caput
    • RA: 15h 18m 36.0s
    • Dec: +02° 05\' 00\" Epoch 2000
    • Size (mins) 17.4\'
    • Classification: Globular Cluster