2011-03-20

M 35



HOW TO FIND IT:

Identify the constellation Gemini. Look at the foot of one of the twins, around the stars Mu and Eta Gemini. It will be barely visible to the unaided eye on a very good night. It is easy to spot in binoculars.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

M35 is an excellent open cluster. It is nearly circular in appearance.

As an added bonus, M35 has a hidden gem to be found there. Near the apparent edges of this cluster is yet another cluster, NGC 2158. You will probably need at least a 4 inch reflector, and even then it may be difficult to see anything but a small patch. NGC 2158 is on the edge of our galaxy, being 16,000 light years away. By comparison, the M35 cluster is our next door neighbor at only 2,800 light years distance.




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