M37?

[Steve777]

Evening guys,

Got some observing in tonight, before an annoying thin cloud layer came along. Better detail on Jupiter made me feel I'd a high mag eyepiece than 120 times. Moon rising & looked good.

After seeking advice here, I looked at Auriga, & found a cluster to the east of the bottom star in the constellation. I think this was M37 though it may have been the one next to it. It looked small at times 48, but very densely packed at 120 times. Does it sound like this is what I found? Anyway, quite cool, but would be better higher in the sky I think (lights!).

However, very annoyed that I couldn't find double cluster because so close to zenith for the dobsonian.

Steve

[magic612]

Hi Steve,

Hard to know exactly where you were looking, the "bottom" star can change depending on location and time. I usually locate M37 and the nearby M36 by starting at Beta Tauri, moving my finderscope in the direction of Theta Aurigae and either move slightly one side or the other of Theta by heading towards M37 or M36. Each are slightly off the "centerline" of those two stars.

Star map here: http://www.eyesonthesky.com/documents/Chart-3.pdf

For the Double Cluster, there's a trick to that too: Look at the stars Gamma and Delta Cassiopeiae. Draw a line through these towards Perseus; the Double Cluster is about 7 degrees (just over a finderscope field of view) away from Delta Cas. Of course, it sounds like it was in "Dobson's Hole" for you anyway! That can make it difficult to find objects.

[NGC 1502]

Hi Steve, here's a nice guide to Auriga and the objects within -

Small Wonders: Auriga - Article

Regards, Ed.

[Tinker1947]

These maps will help, even better if you have a Telrad...

CONSTELLATIONS