Caldwell 73
Star cluster in Columba · 39,000 light-years
🔭 Explore Caldwell 73 in the 3D map →View Caldwell 73 images →| Type | Star cluster |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Columba |
| Right ascension | 5h 14m 07s |
| Declination | −40° 03′ |
| Object distance | 39,000 light-years |
| Apparent magnitude | 7.2 |
| Apparent size | 9′ (arc-minutes) |
| Approx. true diameter | 102.1 light-years across |
| Also known as | C73 · NGC 1851 |
Caldwell 73 is a star cluster (NGC 1851) in Columba — a family of stars bound by gravity. It appears as number 73 in the Caldwell catalogue, Sir Patrick Moore's 1995 list of 109 bright deep-sky objects for amateur astronomers. It spans roughly 9 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 7.2, it is a rewarding binocular and small-telescope target.
Although it appears about 9′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 102.1 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.
Observing Caldwell 73
Caldwell 73 lies in the constellation Columba and is best placed in the evening sky around December. Its maximum altitude above the horizon depends on your latitude. It is best placed for observers in the southern hemisphere, and sits low for those far north. It is a comfortable target for binoculars and small telescopes.
See Caldwell 73 in Universe Finder
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Sources
- Position, magnitude and angular size from the OpenNGC catalogue (Mattia Verga).
- Object identity cross-referenced with SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg).
- Image credits and the original observation source are linked with each photograph.
Related objects
- Pleiades — star cluster
- Hercules Cluster — star cluster
- Small Sgr Star Cloud — star cluster
- Messier 25 — star cluster
- Messier 103 — star cluster