NGC 1872 = ESO 056-083 = S-L 318

05 13 11.6  -69 18 45; Dor
V = 11.0; Size 1.0′

24″ (4/5/08 – Magellan Observatory, Australia): this bright globular was the first LMC object I observed in the 24″ and the view and surrounding field was very striking. At 200x, the cluster appeared very bright, fairly large, round, 1.25′ diameter, with a very bright core and a mottled halo. A couple of mag 14-14.5 stars are near the edge of the halo.

Just to the east is a fairly rich scattering of stars including a 6′ N-S curving chain that includes several mag 11-12 stars with a nice mag 12 pair at the north end (NGC 1881). The southern end of the chain is near an impressive complex (stellar association LH 35) containing five HII regions (NGC 1874, 1876, 1877 and 1880) which are located ~4′ S and 5′ SSE of NGC 1872.

Notes: James Dunlop discovered NGC 1872 = D 121= h2802 on 24 Sep 1826 and recorded “a small round nebula.” Although his reduced position is 15′ too far south, he observed it in the drift (second on 24 Sep) just 12 seconds prior to the NGC 1876 complex and 2′ N, a nearly perfect match.

John Herschel first observed NGC 1872 on 3 Nov 1834 (sweep 509) and reported “B, R, gradually brighter in the middle; the preceding nebula.” In Dec. 1834 (sweep 523) he recorded, “pB, S, R, insulated in the recess of an arc-formed nebulous cluster. His position (recorded on 4 sweeps) is accurate.