NGC 2004 = ESO 086-004 = S-L 523

05 30 40 -67 17 12; Dor
V = 9.6; Size 2.7′

30″ (11/5/10 – Coonabarabran, 264x): bright, superb cluster, ~3′ diameter. Contains a small, brilliant core and a highly resolved halo that is packed with 50 stars. The surrounding field is quite rich in both faint and brighter mag 11-12 stars (association LH 70 extends to the SE). The NGC 1955/1968/1974 complex lies ~20′ SW and the NGC 2014/2020 complex lies 27′ SSE.

Notes: James Dunlop discovered NGC 2004 = D 215 = D 216 = D 191 = h2893 on 3 Aug 1826. He described D 216 as “a small faint nebula 20″ or 25″ diameter” and his position was 5′ NNE. D 215, found on 24 Sep 1826, was described as “a round well-defined nebula, about 20″ diameter, pretty much condensed at the centre.” His position was 5.5′ WSW of center. D 191, found on 27 Sep, was described as “a pretty bright round nebula about 30″ diameter, faint at the margins.” The last observation was during an LMC drift in which he misidentified the offset star (Theta Doradus). As a result, all positions in the drift (off the meridian) were reduced incorrectly and his published position was 2° to the SE. Once corrected his position is a good match with NGC 2004.

John Herschel observed this bright cluster during 6 sweeps: on 2 Nov 1834 (sweep 508) he recorded “B; pretty rich; compressed cluster of stars 12m.” On 23 Nov (sweep 512) he recorded, “globular, B; irreg; R; 2′. The stars are easily distinguishable.” Then a month later (sweep 522) made another observation: “globular, B; S; R; comp M to a blaze of stars. Many stragglers.”

NGC 2011 = ESO 056-144 = S-L 559 = LH 75

05 32 19.8 -67 31 17; Dor
V = 10.6; Size 1.0′

30″ (11/5/10 – Coonabarabran, 264x): very bright, tight intense knot of four stars (a couple are quite bright) enveloped in a 1.5′ triangular glow with a few additional stars resolved within the boundaries of the emission nebula. A 3′ line of brighter stars (part of the stellar association LH 75) oriented E-W passes through the south end of the glow and includes the compact cluster BRHT 14b, just off the S edge.

The surrounding fields include a number of fascinating objects with a cluster and star cloud ~6′ E (S-L 567), a bright, compact cluster/nebula 8′ NE (NGC 2021), a large bright cluster/nebula 10′ S (NGC 2014), a large ring-shaped emission nebula (NGC 2020) 12′ SSE and the Seagull Nebula complex (NGC 2030/2032/2035) 17′ E. NGC 2011 is embedded in the OB association LH 75.

Notes: James Dunlop discovered NGC 2011 = D 192 = h2899 on 27 Sep 1826. He described “a minute cluster of very small stars in a strong nebula, irregular figure.” This object was found during a drift in which he misidentified the offset star (Theta Doradus), so all positions were reduced incorrectly (~2.4° to the SE). Once corrected and checked for consistency with other objects in the drift, his offset in sidereal time matches NGC 2011.

John Herschel rediscovered NGC 2011 on 31 Jan 1835 (sweep 538) and logged “vB; S; R; pretty suddenly much brighter middle; 25″.” His single position is accurate.

LH 78 = S-L 567 = KMHK 1059

05 33 18.1 -67 31 20; Dor
V = 10.2; Size 2.4’x1.9′

30″ (11/5/10 – Coonabarabran, 264x): extending mostly south of NGC 2021 is a very elongated stream of stars, 5’x1′, including a mix of brighter and fainter stars (OB association LH 78). The densest concentration is a 2′ group (S-L 567) on the south end with a number of mag 12-14 stars. Roughly a total of 50-60 stars were resolved.

Notes: John Herschel mentioned this association as a “cluster of stars 14m, 8′ long, 3′ br.” (h2906 = NGC 2021).

Harlow Shapley first catalogued LH 78 in 1931 as #117 in a table of 166 clusters in the LMC found on Bruce plates.

NGC 2021 = LH 79 = ESO 056-150 = S-L 570

05 33 30.3 -67 27 11; Dor
V = 12.1; Size 0.9′

30″ (11/5/10 – Coonabarabran, 264x): bright, compact knot surrounding two resolved stars, slightly elongated, ~20″x15″. This knot is embedded in the stellar association LH 79 at the northern end of a very large star cloud, LH 78. Located near the south rim of Supergiant shell SGS LMC 4. The Seagull Nebula complex (NGC 2030, 2032, 2035) lies 12′ SE.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2021 = h2906 on 31 Jan 1835 and logged “vS; F; R; 12″. In the northern part of a cluster of stars 14m, 8′ long, 3′ broad.” His position points to the small cluster S-L 567 within the stellar association LH 79.

KMHK 1098

05 34 41.3 -67 30 14; Dor
Size 0.9′

24″ (4/11/08 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): before viewing the Seagull Nebula (NGC 2029-32-35-40), I picked up this very small, moderately bright knot adjacent to a mag 13 star. Without a filter this object has a bright, quasi-stellar core. Adding a UHC filter increased the size to 25″, so there appears to be an emission component. Located 2.5′ SW of mag 9.3 HD 269804 and 6′ NW of the Seagull Nebula.

Notes: KMHK 1098 was discovered on Harvard Bruce plates of the LMC and listed by Shapley as #126 of 166 LMC clusters in the 1931 Harvard College Bulletin #884 (“Notes on the Large Magellanic Cloud, IV. The Galactic Clusters.”)

NGC 2053 = ESO 086-017 = S-L 623

05 37 40 -67 24 48; Dor
V = 12.2; Size 1.2′

14″ (4/4/16 – Coonabarabran, 145x and 178x): fairly bright, relatively large, slightly elongated N-S, 1.0′ diameter, smooth glow at 145x, slightly mottled at 178x. A mag 12 star is 1.2′ W. Located 23′ W of mag 7.0 HD 38616 and ~15′ NE of the showpiece Seagull Nebula complex (NGC 2030, 2032, 2035, 2040). S-L 628 lies 7′ NE.

Notes: John Herschel discovered NGC 2053 = h2927 on 2 Jan 1837 and noted “F; little extended; gradually brighter in the middle; 2′.” His position from a single sweep is off by 1′ SSE.