CASSIOPEIA’S DARK-SKY ROYALTY

How to track down some of the Queen’s most sneakily concealed crown jewels

6Pacman Nebula (NGC 281)

Many amateur astronomers think that Cassiopeia is a rather barren constellation, and perhaps compared to its more glitzy neighbours it is. For example, nearby Perseus has the stunning and famous ‘Double Cluster’ of NGC 869 and NGC 884, Taurus has its show-stopping Pleiades cluster and Andromeda holds the stunning Andromeda Galaxy, Messier 31. But if you take the time to look a little more closely at Cassiopeia, the Vain Queen of the sky, you’ll find quite a few attractive deep-sky objects hidden within the folds of her royal robes.

First of all, Messier 103 positively demands that you look at it through as big a telescope as possible. It might have been the last object Messier put in his catalogue, but it’s far from the least attractive. Close to it, NGC 457 is also worth a look if you’re lucky to find yourself at your telescope’s eyepiece on a beautiful dark night with no Moon or nearby light pollution. Close to the star Gamma Cassiopeia you’ll find not one but two swirly nebulae – beautiful, subtle arcs of misty light. You’ll need your best eyepiece and perfect seeing to glimpse the dark lanes and knots of dust within them.

1 NGC 663

“Known as the Owl Cluster, this is one of the finest in the region”

1 NGC 663

8,000 light years away, this seventh-magnitude open cluster covers just 15’ of sky and contains around 60 stars. Most are much fainter than seventh magnitude. It looks best in a high-power eyepiece.

2 MESSIER 103

The final object catalogued by Messier, this cluster is a beautiful sight in a large telescope’s low-power eyepiece. Its 40-plus stars make a distinct arrowhead shape, with a vivid red star at its centre.

3CALDWELL 8 (NGC 559)

Also known as Caldwell 8, this magnitude +9.5 cluster is barely 4.4’ across and is little more than a spray of faint stars. A challenge for large telescopes even on dark, Moon-free nights.

4 OWL CLUSTER (NGC 457)

Known as the Owl Cluster, this is one of the finest in the region. Triangle-shaped, large telescopes will resolve its compressed centre and the three lines of fainter stars leading away from it.

5 IC 59 AND IC 63

This close pair of bright, arcshaped nebulae look very pretty in a large telescope’s highpower eyepiece. IC 63 is closest to Gamma Cassiopeia and is by far the brighter of the two.

6 PACMAN NEBULA (NGC 281)

Nicknamed the Pacman Nebula, this bright nebula has some fascinating interior detail – like streamers, clumps and knots of material – only visible in larger telescopes. © Wikipedia Commons