Messier 38

Object:   M38 (NGC 1912) Date:               2019 February 23
Type:              Open cluster
Constellation:           Auriga Time & altitude:          19.00 UT   74º
Catalogue data: Seeing (5 high):                               3/5
            R.A:                5h 29m Transparency (5 high):                   4/5
            Dec:                35º 50 Telescope:     0.5m f4.1  Dob.
            Magnitude     6.4 Eyepiece       17mm Ethos              x120
            Size (mins)    21 Filters:            None

Notes:

This loose cluster half fills the 50 arcmin field of the 17mm eyepiece. On the cluster’s N side there is a noticeable N-S line of seven 10th magnitude stars with roughly equal spacing. I estimate perhaps 200 stars in all. There is no great range in the stars’ brightness. In the 50mm finder the cluster is a misty spot.

40 arcmins S is the smaller cluster, NGC 1907 and this is fully resolved into stars. It is circular, about 6 arcmins diameter with maybe 50 stars. This cluster is one of the Herschel 400. Between the two clusters and about 10 or 12 arcmins preceding is a distinctly orange 6th magnitude star.