Northeast – Chart 3

NE Chart 3

LH OB Associations: –

NGC Objects: NGC 2166, 2176, 2177, 2181, 2193, 2197, 2214, 2228, 2231, 2241, 2249, 2257

Northeast Chart 3

Background Galaxy Cluster:

ACO S585

Background Galaxy Cluster:

ACO S585

Steve Gottlieb's observations

NGC 2166 (Open Cluster)

RA 05 59 34 Dec -67 56 30 Mag 12.9 Size 1.2′

16″ at 228x: This cluster appears as a bright, round and smooth glow, 20″ in diameter, and surrounded by a thin, and very much fainter halo. No stars are resolved. A mag 12.5 star lies 42″ NE.

NGC 2166

South Ecliptic Pole

RA 06 00 00.0 Dec -66 33 38

Who can’t be both beguiled and dumbfounded by astronomy… looking at this nondescript little spot in the sky; nothing but an inky darkess with lots of little stars hanging around; and knowing that you are looking at the south ecliptic pole?

South Ecliptic Pole

NGC 2177 (Open Cluster)

RA 06 01 17.7 Dec -67 44 00 Mag 12.8 Size 1.2′

16″ at 228x: NGC 2177 appears as a moderately bright, round glow, 25″ in diameter. No stars are resolved, although two tiny sparklers dance in and out of view (who can’t love these little stellar poppers?) It lies in a pretty field of stars, and forms the northern apex of a triangle with mag 9.3 HD 41802 lying 8′ SSW of and mag 9.4 HD 41443 lying 11′ SE.

NGC 2177

NGC 2176 (Open Cluster)

RA 06 01 19 Dec -66 51 12 Mag – Size 1.3′

16″ at 228x: NGC 2176 appears as a fairly faint, just off-round glow, 30″ in diameter. No stars are resolved. It lies in a sparse starfield so a ~mag 14 star that lies 43″ E, appears quite prominent.

NGC 2176

KMHK 1592 (“Age Gap” Globular Cluster)

RA 06 01 30.0 Dec -66 59 12 Mag – Size 2.2′ x 1.9′ Age ~8 billion years

16″ at 228x: This is a very special object to observe as it is only one of the two “age gap” globular clusters that formed during the vast ~6-7 billion “age gap” between the two bursts of cluster formation – that of the bone fide ancient clusters (like our own Milky Way globular clusters, nearly as old as the universe) and the young globular clusters that started to form a mere 3-4 billion years ago. However, special it may be, but it is also extremely faint. Two stars act as handy markers: mag 10.8 HD 271781 lies 3.4′ NE and mag 10.4 HD 270485 lies 5′ NW. Picked up with averted vision, this globular clusters is an extremely faint, round, diffuse haze, ~30-35″ in diameter.

KMHK 1592

SL 822 (Open Cluster)

RA 06 02 06.5 Dec -68 20 02 Mag – Size 1.5′

16″ at 228x: SL 822 appears as a very faint, round, glow with a ~mag 13 star involved on the north side.

SL 822

NGC 2181 (Open Cluster)

RA 06 02 43.2 Dec -65 15 52 Mag 13.6 Size 1.6′

16″ at 228x: NGC 2181 appears as a faint, smooth and irregular glow, 30″ in diameter, with a thin and considerably fainter halo. No stars are resolved. It lies 2.8′ WSW of mag 9.9. HD 271798.

NGC 2181

HJ 3838 (Double Star)

RA 06 05 24.7 Dec -64 59 48 Mag 11/11 Sep 10.5″ PA 307°

16″ at 228x: Lovely double!

h3838

NGC 2197 (Open Cluster)

RA 06 06 07.0 Dec -67 05 54 Mag 13.5 Size 1.8′ x 1.6′

16″ at 228x: NGC 2197 appears as a fairly faint, round, even glow, 40″ in diameter. A ~mag 14 star lies off the NNE edge and a couple of little sparklers pop in and out of view in the glow.

NGC 2197

NGC 2193 (Young Globular Cluster)

RA 06 06 17.5 Dec -65 05 54 Mag 13.4 Size 1.9′ Age ~ 2 billion years

16″ at 228x: This young globular cluster appears fairly faint, round, ~50″ in diameter; a smooth, hazy glow. No stars are resolved. A mag 14 star lies just off its NNE end. It is located 42′ NNW of gorgeous orange mag 5 Eta Dor.

NGC 2193

ESO 86-59 (Background Galaxy)

RA 06 06 44.8 Dec -67 07 02 Mag – Size 0.6′ x 0.2′ SB – PA –

16″ at 228x: This galaxy is easy to locate as it lies 3.8′ SE of NGC 2197. It appears as a very, very faint, very small, round glow.

ESO 86-59

NGC 2214 (Open Cluster)

RA 06 12 57 Dec -68 15 36 Mag 10.9 Size 3.6′

16″ at 228x: NGC 2214 is a lovely cluster! It appears very bright, 1.5′ x 1′ in diameter, elongated E-W, with a beautifully bright core and thin, fainter halo. Six stars are resolved, two in the glow and four around the edges.

NGC 2214

NGC 2231 (Young Globular Cluster)

RA 06 20 43.1 Dec -67 31 06 Mag 13.2 Size 2.0′ Age ~1 billion

16″ at 228x: This young globular cluster appears fairly bright, round, 50″ in diameter, with a large core and a very faint and thin halo. It appears slightly granular, but no stars are resolved. Pretty double star, HJ 3862, lies 5′ SE.

NGC 2231

HJ 3862 (Double Star)

RA 06 21 14.5 Dec -67 34 59 Mag 9.5/11.4 Sep 7.8″ PA 290°

16″ at 228x: Lovely pair!

h3862

NGC 2228 (Background Galaxy)

RA 06 21 15.6 Dec -64 27 33 Mag 13.6 Size 0.8′ x 0.7′ SB 12.7 PA –

16″ at 228x: NGC 2228 is a member of the galaxy cluster ACO S585, and it is located ~30′ N of the core of the cluster, which is packed with galaxies. It appears faint, round, ~25″ in diameter, a smooth glow that brightens to the centre.

NGC 2228

NGC 2241 (Open Cluster)

RA 06 22 53.0 Dec -68 55 30 Mag 13.2 Size 1.6′

16″ at 228x: NGC 2241 appears as a moderately bright, round, hazy glow, 40″ in diameter. No stars are resolved. It forms the northern vertex of a triangle with a mag 11.9 star lying 2.4′ SW and a mag 11 star lying 3.2′ S.

NGC 2241

NGC 2249 (Young Globular Clusters)

RA 06 25 49.0 Dec -68 55 12 Mag 12.2 Size 1.7′ Age –

16″ at 228x: NGC 2249 is a very pretty young globular. It appears beautifully bright, round, ~1′ in diameter, with a rich smoothness that brightens to a lovely bright core. No stars are resolved. A nice mag 11/13 pair at ~10″ separation lies 3.7′ WNW.

NGC 2249

NGC 2257 (Ancient Globular Cluster)

RA 06 30 12.4 Dec -64 19 40 Mag 12.6 Size 2.2′ Age > 12.7 million years

16″ at 228x: This ancient globular cluster is located an astounding 9° NE of the LMC bar! Lying in a rich starfield, it is showcased by a very pretty curving chain of half a dozen mag 10-11 stars, oriented NW-SE, with the cluster nestled on the western side of the chain. The ancient globular appears fairly bright, round, ~2′ in diameter. It brightens gradually to the centre. No stars are resolved – although a slight grittiness around the edges of its halo tantalises one with stars just on the edge of resolution!