I have often looked at the faint cluster ngc2158 near M35. It interests me because of the perspective it gives. I have read that it is physically very similar to M35, only more distant. I love views like that, where you get a real 3-D feeling of space. In fact I had a view of it in a 20" scope on a really steady night that looked just about like M35 in a small scope, really driving home the point.
But just a bit further from M35, in about the same direction, lies open cluster IC2157, which I had never seen before tonight.
I could see it in a 16x70 binocular. It appeared similar to the nearby NGC2158, a hazy patch.
In a 5-inch scope, the cluster was seen easily at 29x, as a fairly well defined patch of stars. Under higher power, the cluster appeared to be about 6 arcmin in diameter, with 10 stars easily visible. With averted vision, at least that many more, and some unresolved glow, was seen. It is quite different from the neighboring NGC2158, which is a more tightly packed mass of dimmer stars.
I am happy to learn of this second companion to M35. It is not difficult, and I recommend it to all!
Ron
But just a bit further from M35, in about the same direction, lies open cluster IC2157, which I had never seen before tonight.
I could see it in a 16x70 binocular. It appeared similar to the nearby NGC2158, a hazy patch.
In a 5-inch scope, the cluster was seen easily at 29x, as a fairly well defined patch of stars. Under higher power, the cluster appeared to be about 6 arcmin in diameter, with 10 stars easily visible. With averted vision, at least that many more, and some unresolved glow, was seen. It is quite different from the neighboring NGC2158, which is a more tightly packed mass of dimmer stars.
I am happy to learn of this second companion to M35. It is not difficult, and I recommend it to all!
Ron
