M35 and NGC 2158

M35, NGC 2158

The galactic star cluster M35 contains about 500 stars scattered over the area covered by the full moon (30 arcminutes) or a bit more. At its distance of 2,800 light years, this corresponds to a linear diameter of about 24 light years. It has an intermediate age (for galactic clusters) of about 110 million years and contains several yellow and orange giant stars. Charles Messier cataloged the cluster in 1764 as object number 35 of his famous list, but it has been discovered before this time.

Under fairly good observing conditions this cluster is visible to the naked eye near the 3 "foot stars" of Gemini, and a pair of binoculars will easily resolve the brighter and show the cluster as a splendid view.

NGC 2158 is the designation of the smaller cluster southwest (at the lower right) of M35. This is a nice object for telescopes. It contains many more stars, is much more compact, over 10 times older, dominated by yellowish stars, and four times more remote than M35.

Exposure Data

Instrument: TMB 4.1" f/6.2 APO
F/stop: 6.2
Exposure: 33.5 minutes
Film: Kodak Ektachrome E200
Exposure start: 00:59 MESZ
Date: November 11, 2001
Location: Altenmarkt i. T., Lower Austria
Conditions: Visual limiting magnitude 5.8 mag, seeing 2, temperature -3°C, no wind, moderate humidity
Autoguider: Meade Pictor 216 XT, max. error: 1
Enhancement: Adobe Photoshop 6.0
Notes: See also an Observation Report of that night (in German).

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