U 425
08:30 to 09:30
-39° to -50°
Car, Vel
Jan-May

THE ENTIRE FALSE CROSS is depicted on this diverse milky way map.

FEATURED OBJECTS: NGC 2640, IC 2391, NGC 2669, vdBH 52, ESO211-SC001, ESO211-SC003, NGC 2714, Ru 73, ESO165-SC009, ESO166-PN002, vdBH 58, ESO166-SC004, ESO211-SC009, Ru 159, NGC 2867, Ru 75, NGC 2866, ESO166-PN009, Pismis 13, Ru 76, ESO212-EN006, ESO166-PN010, vdBH 66, UKS 2, vdBH 67, NGC 2899, Ru 77, IC 2488, Ru 78, Pismis 14.

NGC 2640
ESO165-G002
RA 08:37:24
Dec -55° 07.4'
Galaxy

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "pB, S, R, has 3 or 4 vS stars close to it, preceding, which give it an elongated and resolvable appearance." On a second occassion he called it "pF, S, R, has 3 or 4 vS stars near it, preceding. Observation taken by Mr Maclear."

Described in Union Obs. Circulars, 45-76, p 50. “Nebulae, clusters, etc. on Sydney Plates” as “h 3134. RA 8h 34.2m, Dec -54° 42’ (1875) A 14-mag. star with a nebulous envelope 60’’ in diameter.”

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a unverified southern object.

IC 2391
Cr 191
RA 08:40:12
Dec -53° 03.0'
Open cluster

This open cluster was discovered by Lacaille and included in his 1755 catalogue as Class II No. 5. In his half-an-inch 8x telescope he saw it as a "small star group."

It was included in the IC by Bailey of the Harvard College Observatory. He described it as a "coarse cluster including o Velorum 3.7 mag"

Harrington notes that this "beautiful open cluster .. can be seen with the unaided eye on a good evening. My 11x80 glasses show a large, coarse gathering of many bright stars, including several doubles. It sbrightest sun, 3.6 mag Omicron Velorum, looks like a brilliant sapphire set among a glistening backdrop."

ASV Journal Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "bright and scattered."

The cluster is easily visible to the naked eye (mag 2.5) just north west of Delta Velorum, one of the stars of the False Cross. It contains a very easy double star which can be split in handheld binoculars.

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Too large for the 6-inch; extremely bright, extremely coarse grouping of large and small stars. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: Forms a remarkable contrast to NGC 2516 as seen at 30x. The cluster is star-poor, only 20-30 stars, and is well spread out, the inter-stellar background appearing empty. It has a generally triangular shape, dictated by the brighter stars, which are all brilliantly white. (suburban skies) [AS]

NGC 2669
Harvard 3, Cr 199/202
RA 08:44:54
Dec -52° 57.0'
Open cluster

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "cluster VIII class. A large, poor loose cluster of stars, 10..13th mag."

Described in Union Obs. Circulars, 45-76, p 50. “Nebulae, clusters, etc. on Sydney Plates” as “ {h3140} RA 8h 43 -44m, Dec -52° 35’ (1875) Cluster of 50 stars, 10-13 mag., covering 100 square minutes of arc, whilst the average for the region is about 15 stars. An unusual field to blink on, and it represents probably a real aggregation of stars. This cluster is undoubtedly h 3140 when h is corrected by +1° in Dec., whilst the Harvard cluster 2632b at 8h 37.5m -52° 34 would be NGC 2669 Sufi, with an error in NGC of -1°.”

Trumpler (Lick Obs Bul, Vol 14, No. 420) gives the diameter as 14' and the class as 1 3 p. He notes: "Declination of the New General Catalogue corrected by +1 degree."

Harrington writes that this 6th mag cluster "contains about 40 stars, with the brightest half dozen forming a trapezoidal pattern. On its own, NGC 2669 is not especially impressive, but add to it the whole magnificent region and you have a ringside seat to a wonderful star-studded show for binoculars."

ASV Journal Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "a dozen stars visible in 2-inch 64x."

4-inch f/14.7 Unitron refractor: Delicate cluster in a field with several bright but distracting stars. The cluster is constrained by three 9th mag stars on the west, and two slightly brighter ones north-east, and measures 4 arcmin across. These "boundary stars", although shown as part of the cluster on the U2 chart, do not look in the eyepiece as members. The stars within the cluster are irregularly clumped, with one bright star on the eastern edge. The cluster has no clear outline; the members seem concentrated in two broad groupings, in which a few brighter stars are surrounded by several fainter lights. More aperture, please. Quality of this obs: 50%. (suburban skies) [AS]

vdBH 52

RA 08:46:28
Dec -52° 54.0'
Open cluster

ESO211-SC001

RA 08:47:11
Dec -52° 04.5'
Open cluster

ESO211-SC003

RA 08:51:35
Dec -50° 15.3'
Open cluster

NGC 2714
ESO125-G007
RA 08:53:28
Dec -59° 13.0'
Galaxy

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "eF, S, R, pslbM, difficult but certain."

The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a unverified southern object.

Ru 73
ESO211-SC006
RA 09:01:08
Dec -50° 54.8'
Open cluster

ESO165-SC009

RA 09:05:14
Dec -55° 57.3'
Open cluster

ESO166-PN002
PK273-03.01
RA 09:08:39
Dec -53° 19.3'
Planetary nebula

vdBH 58

RA 09:10:11
Dec -56° 16.0'
Open cluster

ESO166-SC004

RA 09:10:29
Dec -53° 53.2'
Open cluster

ESO211-SC009

RA 09:16:43
Dec -50° 17.1'
Open cluster

Ru 159
ESO126-SC007
RA 09:20:17
Dec -60° 23.8'
Open cluster

NGC 2867
ESO126-PN008, PK278-05.01
RA 09:21:24
Dec -58° 32.8'
Planetary nebula

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. As his observations set out below will show, Herschel suspected this nebula of being a real planet, and so he carefully measured the position of nearby stars to check on any possible motion. His first observation recorded on April 1 1834 reads: "The finest planetary nebula I ever remember to have seen for sharpness of termination; 3 arcsec diameter; exactly round; no more haziness about them than would be about a star of the same magnitude to-night (which is a favourable one) Light, a pale white = star of 9th mag. Position of companion star = ... 58.6 ; star = 15th mag. A very remarkable object. Showed to Stone, who distinctly perceived the total difference of appearance between it and a star 9th mag very near it. A second companion star suspected (at about half the distance of the 1st by diagram, and at an estimated position of 330 ) among multitude of large and small stars." The next night Herschel checked up on his potential 'planet': "Observed with Mr. Maclear, April 2, 1834, out of the meridian. Quite round, well defined, and about 3 arcsec or perhaps 4 arcsec diam. Much better seen (between clouds) than last night. The small star is still 1.5 diam. from edge. It has therefore not moved perceptibly, and is therefore not a planet." On 26 February 1835 he recorded it as "planetary nebula, perfectly sharp; exactly round; not the least hazy or mottled. At 1.5 diam distant from the edge (or taking 12 arcsec for the diameter of neb at 24" dist from the centre) there is a star at pos = 51.1 ; well examined with Mr Maclear. It bears 320 [power] well, and is quite sharp and uniform with that power." He next recorded it as "Planetary nebula. Pos of adjacent star = ... 58.0 ; Set micrometer to 51.1, the measure of last night, and carefully examined ... measured tonight with the utmost care; quite calm." His observation on 10 January 1836 recorded it as "planetary nebula, round, equal to 8th mag star; quite uniform in light; quite sharply terminated. Its diameter transits over a wire set to 60 in 4.03 seconds, by a mean of 5 transits. Has a star adjacent pos = 60.7 , dist = 1.5 diam from the edge. About 40 stars in the field, among which two are 9th mag." The observation on 10 March 1836 noted it as "Beautifully round and sharp; just like a small planet 3 arcsec or 4 arcsec in diameter at the utmost. Position of the attendant star = ... 58.5 ; distance 2.5 diameters from the centre. Shown to Captain Henning." His final observation on 9 January 1837 recorded it as "Diameter 8 arcsec; perfectly uniform in light; sharply terminated, just like a small planet; position of attendants star = 60.7 ; dist. 1.5 diam; 14th mag."

Hartung writes: "This bright pale blue planetary nebula lies in a field profusely spangled with stars; it is round, about 8 arcsec across, of very even light with no visible central star. Even a three-inch will pick it out easily from the field..."

ASV Journal Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "at limit in 2-inch 200x."

Modern catalogues give it a magnitude of 9.6 with an 11 arcsecond diameter. The central star glows faintly at magnitude 14.8. The Vorontsov-Velyaminov description classifies it as exhibiting ring structure. The RNGC (Sulentic and Tifft 1973) notes that this is a 9.5 mag planetary nebula.

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Even with the sweeping eyepiece (50', 42x), this 'star', which lies in a rich field, looks suspicious, appearing hazy. There are two companion stars on either side (about 10 arcmin apart); both these focus to points. At higher power, the planetary is clearly seen as a bloated star. (suburban skies) [AS]

10-inch f/5 Newtonian: This planetary is bright and is easy to find, lying almost within the False Cross. It is flanked on its northeast and southwest by two 9th mag stars. At about 120x it appears as a slightly bloated star, no colour apparent. It is not particularly large, but does not quite focus to a point as do other field stars. (suburban skies) [AS]

Ru 75
ESO166-SC008
RA 09:21:54
Dec -56° 18.6'
Open cluster

NGC 2866
ESO212-SC003, OCL-774
RA 09:22:07
Dec -51° 06.1'
Open cluster

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "Cluster class VIII. Place of a small compact knot of stars."

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

ESO166-PN009
PK275-02.01
RA 09:22:07
Dec -53° 33.4'
Planetary nebula

Pismis 13

RA 09:22:17
Dec -51° 07.0'
Open cluster

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Small round nebulous glow in the sweeping power. Higher powers show a nebulous haze containing maybe 6 very small stars. Roughly 45 arcsec across. Quite distinct on the field as a globular cluster-like patch. (suburban skies) [AS]

Ru 76
ESO212-SC005
RA 09:24:11
Dec -51° 39.8'
Open cluster

ESO212-EN006
Gum 26, RCW 42
RA 09:24:28
Dec -51° 59.3'
Bright nebula

ESO166-PN010
PK275-02.02
RA 09:24:44
Dec -54° 36.1'
Planetary nebula

vdBH 66
ESO166-SC011
RA 09:25:17
Dec -54° 43.1'
Open cluster

UKS 2
C0923-545
RA 09:25:20
Dec -54° 43.0'
Globular cluster

vdBH 67
ESO212-SC007
RA 09:26:44
Dec -51° 16.2'
Open cluster

NGC 2899
ESO166-PN013, PK277-03.01
RA 09:27:02
Dec -55° 38.6'
Planetary nebula

Discovered by Sir John Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope with an 18-inch f/13 speculum telescope. He recorded it as "faint, pretty large, round, gradually a little brighter in the middle; 80 arcseconds. At least 80 stars in the field."

Burnham summarizes this nebula as "pretty large, pretty faint, round, diameter 1.5', in rich field 1.3 southeast from Kappa Vel."

Hartung writes: "This field is lovely, sown with fairly bright stars on a profuse faint background. In it is an irregularly round luminous haze about 1.5' across, rising broadly to the centre...a 6-inch telescope will show the nebula but its location needs care."

Ru 77
ESO166-SC012
RA 09:27:04
Dec -55° 07.3'
Open cluster

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Just a tiny triangle of two 10th mag and one 11th mag star. (suburban skies, dew) [AS]

IC 2488
Mel 97, Cr 208, Rb 83
RA 09:27:36
Dec -56° 58.0'
Open cluster

This cluster was discovered by Lacaille and included in his 1755 catalogue as Class III No. 4. In his half-an-inch 8x telescope he saw it as a "faint star in nebulosity."

Bailey of the Harvard College Observatory included it in the NGC, describing at only as "coarse." Trumpler (Lick Obs Bul, Vol 14, No. 420) gives the diameter as 18' and the class as 4 2 mU.

ASV Journal Vol 24 No 3 June 1971: "irregular shape in 3-inch 64x."

11x80: Since the brightest stars are of 10th magnitude, 7x50 binoculars under urban skies do not resolve the cluster, giving it a granular appearance. In 11x80 binoculars, under light-polluted suburban skies, the cluster appears as a distinct, nebulous object at first glance. Darker suburban skies show it as a delightful grainy patch of fine stars; moderately rich, estimated 30 members. The southeast portion contains what appears as a short. tight row or bar of stars, with a single prominent star further southeast. The rest of the cluster appears as a nebulous extension to the northwest. It lies in a rich milky way field and appears fainter than most of the field stars. Overall it is an irregular grouping, but it seems to point towards its bright orange beacon star, N Velorum (a star about 2x further west of the cluster appears reddish). [AS]

6-inch f/8.6 Newtonian: Very large cluster with no noticeable border. Moderately detached from background. Great brightness range - a fine sprinkling of stars with a handful of brighter members thrown in. There are two areas of concentration - two parallel rows of stars running north-south; the western one is longer and more complex. Between these two chains in a noticeable dark gap. The rest of the cluster, which overall appears angular, seems scattered generally to the west of these two chains. No colours noticed. (suburban skies, dew) [AS]

15.5-inch f/9 Newtonian: 220-power reveals this object as a sparse, ill-defined open cluster, about 10' in size. It is very well spread out and has an irregular shape, suggestive of an elongated, rounded rectangle lying northwest-southeast. There are about half a dozen bright stars, and many much fainter ones. (suburban skies) [AS]

Ru 78
ESO166-SC015
RA 09:29:09
Dec -53° 42.1'
Open cluster

Pismis 14
ESO166-SC016
RA 09:29:51
Dec -52° 46.8'
Open cluster

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"Deepsky Observers Companion" (http://www.global.co.za/~auke) Copyright 1998 Auke Slotegraaf. All rights reserved. Uranometria 2000.0 copyright (c) 1987-1996 Willmann-Bell, Inc. Page last updated 1998 March 01