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The Caldwell Objects

The Caldwell Objects

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galaxy's disk and halo.<br />

NGC 2477 appears finely resolved under close<br />

inspection through the 4-inch at 23x. One linear<br />

ridge of stars runs from northeast to southwest,<br />

with several spidery arms branching off of it to<br />

the southeast and northwest. Each arm is<br />

separated from its neighbors by a dark lane.<br />

Averted vision reveals ribs of starlight, like an Xray<br />

of a human torso with a spine and a rib cage.<br />

Even at 72x the cluster looks magnificent, like<br />

brass knuckles studded with diamonds. Some<br />

streams form looplike strands. Especially<br />

noticeable are a dark hole in the cluster's<br />

northeastern quadrant, a dark ellipse on its<br />

northwestern side, and a narrow pool of<br />

blackness to the southeast. Let your imagination<br />

fly at this power. I saw all sorts of fun sights, like<br />

a spider's exoskeleton and an aerial view of<br />

eroded valleys among hills of starlight. It also<br />

looked as if the ebb and flow of dark waters had<br />

carved away the southern half of the cluster,<br />

leaving in their wake ripples in the stellar sands.<br />

At high power the cluster loses many of its<br />

star chains. But the longer I look, the more<br />

patterns I see. Near the cluster's core are two<br />

stellar concentrations immersed in stellar<br />

haziness — the telltale sign of numerous unseen<br />

cluster members. Use averted vision<br />

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

71<br />

and see if you can't make out a tiny "keyhole," a<br />

splotch of darkness guarded by three dim stars in<br />

the cluster's core. Now relax your gaze and<br />

wiggle your telescope tube. Many dark patches<br />

and streaks should vibrate into view.<br />

Before leaving this wonderful sight, don't<br />

forget to check out NGC 2451 — number 16 in the<br />

aforementioned list of spectacular non-Messier<br />

objects. This bright open cluster spans a little<br />

more than 1½ Moon diameters, and at least 30 of<br />

its colorful stars are visible in 7x35 binoculars.<br />

<strong>The</strong>se stars seem to burn in adoration of the<br />

cluster's brightest member, c Puppis, which<br />

shines at magnitude 3.6. I see NGC 2451 as a<br />

scorpion approaching me nearly head-on, with<br />

two outstretched claws and an upright tail ready<br />

to sting. It's fitting that this stinging scorpion<br />

travels the sky with NGC 2477, because M71 in<br />

the celestial Arrow sets just as NGC 2477 and<br />

NGC 2451 are rising. Now we can create our own<br />

myth. Ages ago Sagittarius shot Sagitta, the<br />

Arrow, toward Puppis, killing our tiny arachnid.<br />

Feeling sorry for the innocent creature, Zeus<br />

placed the cluster in the company of NGC 2477,<br />

as far as possible from the Arrow in the night sky.<br />

Thus the Arrow will never again slay the stinging<br />

scorpion cluster — just as big brother Scorpius<br />

will never again sting the mighty Hunter, Orion.<br />

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