U 397
08:24 to 09:12
-39° to -50°
Pup, Vel
Jan-Apr

FEATURED OBJECTS: Ru 60, vdBH 34, Ru 63, Pismis 4, NGC 2626, vdBH 37, Ru 64, Pismis 5, NGC 2645, Ru 65, Pismis 6, Waterloo 6, IC 2395, Pismis 8, Ru 67, NGC 2660, vdBH 47, NGC 2659, Bochum 7, Cr 197, NGC 2670, NGC 2671, Ru 69, Tr 10, Ru 70, Ru 71, vdBH 54, vdBH 55, RCW 34, Muzzio 1, vdBH 56, Gum 22, NGC 2736, Markarian 18, Bernes 139, Bernes 140, Bernes 141.

Ru 60
ESO259-SC007
RA 08:24:26
Dec -47°12.8'
Open cluster

vdBH 34
ESO259-SC008
RA 08:31:13
Dec -44°29.9'
Open cluster

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: Looks like a chance association of about 5 10th mag stars lying in a very rich field. (suburban skies) [AS]

Ru 63
ESO210-SC001
RA 08:32:39
Dec -48°17.8'
Open cluster

Pismis 4
ESO259-SC011
RA 08:34:35
Dec -44°25.4'
Open cluster

NGC 2626
Bhe 17A, Bernes 137
RA 08:35:29
Dec -40°40.3'
Bright nebula

h: "a star 8th mag involved in a pretty bright, round nebula, not concentric, the star being somewhat to the northward of the centre, and the nebula not being quite equally dense on all sides, though most condensed in the neighbourhood of the star; diameter of nebula 2.5'. (No doubt) Plate VI, fig. 12." On a second occassion he called it "A star 9th mag involved in nebulosity, 3' diameter. In the milky way with multitudes of equal stars all round the neighbourhood, none of which are so affected. Sky quite pure, not the slightest nebulous haze. No doubt. The nebula loses itself imperceptibly, the star being (though excentric) yet in the most condensed part." His third observation was recorded as "A star 9th mag in a decided and perfectly unequivocal nebula. It is not the nebulous haze, as other stars of equal and larger magnitudes are unaffected. Diameter 3'. I showed it to Mr. Maclear and another gentleman who saw it as described."

Van den Bergh and Herbst include this object as No. 17a in their Catalogue of Southern Stars Embedded in Nebulosity (Astronomical Journal, 1975), noting that it had a very high surface brightness and measured 5.3' on the blue plate.

vdBH 37
ESO259-SC013
RA 08:35:48
Dec -43°36.5'
Open cluster

Ru 64
ESO313-SC006
RA 08:37:20
Dec -40°08.8'
Open cluster

11x80: A patch, scattered over one degree, with a few 7-8th mag stars and many fainter. No separation from the background at all. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: An interesting object; at 30x, very coarse and extremely large, flowing out of the one-degree eyepiece-field. It has 10-15 reasonably bright members, and a great, great many faint members which are scattered in small groupings across the whole field. The brighter members appear to lie on the outskirts of the cluster, with the centre dominated by wide, scattered groupings of stars. (suburban skies) [AS]

Pismis 5
ESO313-SC007
RA 08:37:38
Dec -39°34.7'
Open cluster

NGC 2645
ESO259-SC014, OCL-754
RA 08:39:02
Dec -46°14.1'
Open cluster

h: "A close group or small cluster of 12 or 13 large and small stars; place of a double star, the chief one."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a nonexistent object. Their coded description reads NOCL S.

[ Coordinates show it to be very close to Pismis 6, a 2' cluster with 15 members. I suggest that NGC 2645 = Pismis 6. ]

Ru 65
ESO259-SC015
RA 08:39:15
Dec -44°03.1'
Open cluster

Pismis 6

RA 08:39:16
Dec -46°12.0'
Open cluster

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Viewed at 52x. This cluster makes up one point of a one-degree Crux-shaped grouping in Vela. From north to south these are Wa 6, Pi 6, Pi 8, anon. 8th mag star. Pi 6 appears as a poor grouping of about 8 stars. There is a neat 9th mag equal pair on the eastern edge. Too poor to make a distinct shape. (suburban skies) [AS]

[ See NGC 2645 ]

Waterloo 6

RA 08:40:24
Dec -46°08.0'
Open cluster

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Viewed at 52x. This cluster makes up one point of a one-degree Crux-shaped grouping in Vela. From north to south these are Wa 6, Pi 6, Pi 8, anon. 8th mag star. Wa 6 appears as nothing more than an even right-angled triangle of three stars, with a fainter star along the one side. (suburban skies) [AS]

IC 2395
Cr 192, Rb 79
RA 08:41:05
Dec -48°11.0'
Open cluster

This open cluster was identified by Bailey of the Harvard College Observatory. He described it only as a "coarse cluster".

Trumpler (Lick Obs Bul, Vol 14, No. 420) gives the diameter as 20' and the class as 2 3 p.

4-inch f/14.7 Unitron refractor: According to the U2 map, has a 8th mag star on the south-west edge; examining this star at various powers, shows nothing more than three small stars in a line. (suburban skies) [AS]

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Studied the area at 52x - nothing seen. (suburban skies) [AS]

Pismis 8
ESO260-SC002
RA 08:41:35
Dec -46°16.2'
Open cluster

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Viewed at 52x. This cluster makes up one point of a one-degree Crux-shaped grouping in Vela. From north to south these are Wa 6, Pi 6, Pi 8, anon. 8th mag star. Pi 8 appears as a small star situated excentrically in a fuzzy patch, extended northwest to southeast. Could dew be interfering? (suburban skies) [AS]

Ru 67
ESO260-SC001
RA 08:41:38
Dec -43°21.9'
Open cluster

NGC 2660
Mel 92, Cr 193
RA 08:42:16
Dec -47°08.0'
Open cluster

h: "Cluster VI class; irregularly round, gbM, 4', resolved into distinct stars 14th mag."

vdBH 47
ESO210-SC004
RA 08:42:30
Dec -48°06.2'
Open cluster

11x80: This cluster appears as a roughly 12' box-shaped group of about 10 equally bright stars, quite prominent in a rich field. (suburban skies) [AS]

4-inch f/14.7 Unitron refractor: Even the 40mm eyepiece at 38x is too much for this cluster, which is well spread-out but still very noticeable. Looks like a trident, or capital Psi, pointing roughly south-west. Stars exhibit a great range in brightness, from one bright, pale yellow member, a dozen lesser lights, and as many faint or very faint ones. There is no concentration, since the stars are arranged in chains (which makes it pleasant to sketch; look for many right-angled triangles). No clearly-defined, insulated, open spaces. One neat double: the bright star at the tip of the southern prong of the trident. The 25-arcmin eyepiece frames the cluster well. (suburban skies) [AS]

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Although coarse, the large and small stars of this cluster seem contained within an irregular round space. The dozen or so bright stars are scattered out to 15’. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: A 10-inch at 30x shows this as a loose gathering of 12 or more stars. The brighter stars are arranged in an elongated rectangle lying northwest to southeast, with a single star on the northwestern tip being considerably bright. (suburban skies) [AS]

NGC 2659
Pismis 9, Mel 91, Cr 194, Rb 78
RA 08:42:34
Dec -44°56.0'
Open cluster

h: "Cluster VII class; pretty rich, pretty large, 12' long, 8' broad; figure irregular; rather branching stars 11..14th mag, not compressed in middle." On a second occassion he called it "a large, rich cluster, irregular oblong, 15 or 20' long."

11x80: Examining the exact spot, not seen. (suburban skies) [AS]

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Near a right-angle of bright stars. Appears as a patch of mottled light, bigger than the chart suggests. A delicate soft, mottled glow at low powers. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: A 10-inch f/5 at 30x shows here a rich field, in which lies this easily seen mottled sprinkling of approx. 12th mag stars. It is roughly 1/5 degree long, and appears much elongated northeast to southwest; it is four times longer than broad (12' x 3'.) (suburban skies) [AS]

Bochum 7

RA 08:44:47
Dec -45°58.0'
Open cluster

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Observing at 52x & 104x, nothing found. (suburban skies) [AS]

Cr 197
ESO313-SC013
RA 08:44:50
Dec -41°13.5'
Open cluster

11x80: Seems to be marked by half a dozen 9th mag stars in a triangular shape. Not an easy object. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: 30x shows this as a typical Collinder cluster, reasonably large and the brighter members seem to lie in a uneven, curving V-shaped grouping of 11 stars, 5 of which are pretty bright. The V points north to a very unequal double star, which is shown on the Uranometria chart as the centre of Gum 15. (suburban skies) [AS]

NGC 2670
Mel 93, Cr 200, Rb 80
RA 08:45:28
Dec -48°46.0'
Open cluster

h: "a cluster 8th class, not rich, nor much compressed; 8' in diameter, irregularly round, stars 13th mag."

11x80: What a remarkable object. Quite easy as an elongated glow wedged between two stars - just like an edge-on spiral galaxy! (suburban skies) [AS]

4-inch f/14.7 Unitron refractor: Found in the sweeper eyepiece, a noticeable row of stars, running NE-SW, forming one side of a sharp triangle. Another row appears to run East-West. There is a bright field star close North-east. Cluster members display modest brightness range, most are 10th magnitude, with some very faint. Very poor in stars; quite remarkable its lack of concentration, with all the stars in chains. Sketch made; dew conditions. (suburban skies) [AS]

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Remarkable! Lines! Even low powers show two lines of stars crossing at about 60 degrees - one line runs west-east. The confines of this star-poor but remarkable group are neatly demarcated by a 7th mag star to the northeast and a 9th mag star on the southwestern edge. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: 30x shows this as a cluster of faint stars which lie in a clear, rectangular grouping. This power shows four stars easily, with some fainter stars sprinkled around. These four brighter members form a triangle with the brightest star at the apex. The other cluster members are considerably fainter; the majority of them (6 or so) form a baseline for this bright triangle. (suburban skies) [AS]

NGC 2671
Cr 201
RA 08:46:11
Dec -41°52.0'
Open cluster

h: "a pretty rich, irregularly round cluster, not mbM, stars 12..13th mag, place that of the general middle." He notes that it is either Dunlop 489 or Dunlop 490. Dunlop 489 is described as "a very faint nebula, about 6' diameter, with small stars scattered in it -- in the milky way." Dunlop 490 is described as "a very large cluster of pretty bright stars, coarsely scattered, about one degree diameter, following a star 5th magnitude, 396 Argus."

Trumpler (Lick Obs Bul, Vol 14, No. 420) gives the diameter as 4' and the class as 2 2 p. He notes that Trumpler 10 is “a large coarse cluster of a few bright and medium bright stars, observed by Dunlop (490) and Bailey. Both observations have been erroneously identified with the cluster NGC 2671, a small cluster of faint stars near by; it is probably for this reason that the cluster was omitted from the NGC.”

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: In a field well-populated with large and small stars, flowing north of the coarse Trumpler 10, lies this delicate cluster. It stands in stark contrast to Tr 10: the cluster is an extended area of strongly mottled light with several stars clearly seen - like a piece of frosted glass with glistening highlights. Wonderful in the 6-inch: must be splendid in 10-inch or up. [AS]

8-inch Meade Newtonian: 18mm eyepiece, 36’ fov: Considerable large open cluster, compresses with a sort of a brighter core to the middle. It can be described as roughly triangularly shaped. Scattered region with small and bright stars in a relatively busy starfield. I estimate this open cluster to be about 11 to 12 magnitude in brightness, and about 4’ in size.
26mm eyepiece, 40’ fov: Faint, large grouping, irregular in shape with medium bright and faint stars. Little brighter towards the middle. Busy starfield. [MS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: This dim open cluster contrasts nicely with the nearby Trumpler 10. A 10-inch f/5 at 30x shows this faint, dim sprinkling of stars in a bright rich starfield; it can be readily seen at 66x. It appears as a pretty large mottled patch of light with about 10 faint individual stars seen, and has a roughly triangular shape. (suburban skies) [AS]

Ru 69
ESO260-SC006
RA 08:46:13
Dec -47°41.8'
Open cluster

Tr 10
ESO313-SC015, Cr 203
RA 08:47:54
Dec -42°27.4'
Open cluster

Trumpler (Lick Obs Bul, Vol 14, No. 420) gives the diameter as 30' and the class as 2 3 p. He notes: “A large coarse cluster of a few bright and medium bright stars, observed by Dunlop (490) and Bailey. Both observations have been erroneously identified with the cluster NGC 2671, a small cluster of faint stars near by; it is probably for this reason that the cluster was omitted from the NGC.”

11x80: (bright suburban skies): A poor scattered cluster of large and small stars, covers more than the U2000 chart indicates. Quite prominent. (exurban skies) This cluster appears as a loose, poor scattering of stars. The surroundings are very rich in stars, and the cluster looks like a more concentrated area of the field. It is quite recognizable as a loose cluster, even when sweeping over the area. It is an attractive if scattered object. [AS]

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: At 52x this cluster is so spread out that it merges with the background stars to form a 50’ field full of large and small stars. The field is sprinkled richly, but remains coarse with many large dark areas. The cluster is not at all detached and the extent is difficult to establish as it has no clear border. Amongst the scattered bright stars in the cluster and some fainter ones, especially the two small triangles of 8-9th mag stars on the southern edge. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: 30x shows this as a large, very coarse, scattered grouping, just under a third of a degree across. The cluster members are very bright (7th mag and fainter) and are well spread out, but it does stand out quite well from the background. Many geometric shapes (equilateral triangles, a nice trapezium) can be seen. The cluster contrasts nicely with the nearby NGC 2671. (suburban skies) [AS]

An article by J. Stock (Rev. Mexicana Astron. Astrof., 9, 127-137 (1984), “Positions, proper motions and magnitudes in the area of the open cluster Tr 10”) notes: “Postions for 979 stars in the area of Tr 10 are derived from fifteen plates taken recently with the CIDA refractor. For the determination of proper motions, nine plates of the Cape Astrographic Catalogue are used as first epoch. The results make it appear doubttul that the object is a single cluster.” The author also notes: “Possible members of the open cluster NGC 2671 are present on several of the CIDA plates. Unfortunately, they are beyond the limit of the Cape plates, such that no proper motions can be given for this object.”

Ru 70
ESO260-SC007
RA 08:48:00
Dec -47°02.5'
Open cluster

Ru 71
ESO260-SC009
RA 08:49:23
Dec -46°50.7'
Open cluster

11x80: This cluster lies close southpreceding the 5th mag f Velorum. With averted vision it appears as an irregular (round?) glow, with no individual stars seen. It is less than 8' across. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: 30x shows this open cluster as being roughly 1/12 degree long and having a general box shape, because it has four approx. 10th mag stars lying in a square. Scattered amongst these stars are considerably fainter members. (suburban skies) [AS]

vdBH 54
ESO260-SC010
RA 08:49:46
Dec -44°24.0'
Open cluster

vdBH 55
ESO314-SC001
RA 08:56:05
Dec -39°30.0'
Open cluster

RCW 34
Gum 19, BHe 25A
RA 08:56:29
Dec -43°05.5'
Bright nebula

Muzzio 1

RA 08:57:11
Dec -47°45.0'
Open cluster

vdBH 56
ESO260-SC012
RA 08:57:16
Dec -43°11.0'
Open cluster

Gum 22
RCW 38
RA 08:57:23
Dec -47°17.7'
Bright nebula

NGC 2736
ESO260-N014, RCW 37
RA 09:00:15
Dec -45°56.9'
Bright nebula

h: "eeF, L, vvmE; an extraordinarily long narrow ray of excessively feeble light, position 19 degrees approx. The N.f. end is brighter and narrower than the S.p. At least 20' long, extending much beyond the limits of the field. A star 8th mag, and one about 8th mag, near it. See Plate V, fig. 12."

Markarian 18
ESO211-SC005
RA 09:00:30
Dec -48°58.9'
Open cluster

Bernes 139
BHe 29C
RA 09:11:17
Dec -45°33.3'
Bright nebula

Bernes 140
BHe 29B
RA 09:11:17
Dec -45°35.3'
Bright nebula

Bernes 141
BHe 29A
RA 09:11:46
Dec -45°39.3'
Bright nebula