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The Caldwell Objects

The Caldwell Objects

The Caldwell Objects

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sweep the telescope in a north-south direction<br />

while keeping my eyes relaxed and my mind<br />

alert. It also helps to take frequent notes and to<br />

make sketches to confirm any suspected details.<br />

With the wide field of view offered by the<br />

Genesis at 23x, AE Aurigae appears as the<br />

brightest star in a tight kite-shaped asterism<br />

oriented southeast to northwest; an 8th-magnitude<br />

star to the northwest of AE Aurigae marks<br />

the kite's tail. <strong>The</strong> nebula's most prominent<br />

portion is a wedge flaring southeast from AE. In<br />

blue-light photographs one can see dark<br />

nebulosity pinching into the southeastern side of<br />

this wedge, forming a distinct Y-shaped pattern,<br />

but I could not make out that detail in the 4-inch;<br />

perhaps those with larger telescopes can do so. A<br />

fainter nebulous glow surrounds the lOthmagnitude<br />

star just northeast of AE Aurigae, and<br />

a long, thin streamer runs along the kite's entire<br />

northeastern edge.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Caldwell</strong> <strong>Objects</strong><br />

31<br />

Very faint patches of nebulosity hide inside the<br />

kite's southwestern edge.<br />

Another of IC 405's surprises is that its<br />

brightest features take magnification well. <strong>The</strong><br />

details are not apparent at first, but with patience<br />

the once-amorphous glow to the southeast<br />

becomes a sharp hook of nebulosity, while<br />

several patches appear to the northeast and north<br />

of AE Aurigae, almost suggesting a ripple<br />

pattern. <strong>The</strong> streamer along the kite's<br />

northeastern edge vanishes at high power, its<br />

surface brightness unable to withstand much<br />

magnification. <strong>The</strong> 8th-magnitude star marking<br />

the northwestern tip of the kite asterism is a nice<br />

double at high power. Its fainter companion is<br />

supposed to shine at about magnitude 10, though<br />

I found it closer to magnitude 12.5. Interestingly,<br />

the Washington Double Star Catalog lists 8th<br />

magnitude for both companions. Keep your eye<br />

on this star; it might be a variable.<br />

125

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