Puppis cluster, NGC2477

From my observation guides I see that NGC2477 is an awesome open cluster. It doesn't reach the horizon up here, but I hope to be able to observe it from La Palma in September.
Is there anybody who observe this cluster regularly? Any observation reports?

Inge S

It's a very nice object. As I recall, it's similar to 7798 in Cassiopeia, a dense cloud of faintish stars. I'll take another look at it from Winter Star Party if all goes well.

Hi Inge--
I posted something on this one (along with some remarks on ngc 1365 and ngc 1300) in reply to your "burn out?" post a while ago, but nobody bit on it. I was particularly interested in hearing from southern observers whether my hunch that 2477 was comparable to m37 was apt or not. Now I notice in the current sky and tel a column by Les Dalyrimple (sp?) featuring this object among others in puppis. (He also likens it to a globular.) Here again is what I wrote in that earlier thread about seeing 2477, first in binoculars in Hawaii, then at home (San Francisco area) with my scope:

"I turned to Puppis, first to look at M46--the PN 2438 was very bright in the 11mm and showed its ring structure--and then to find 2477, a rich OC far to the south. A week ago I was in Kauai on a family vacation, with my trusty 8x40’s, and I spotted this cluster, about 2 degrees NW of zeta-puppis, not knowing its identity—clearly an open cluster, but very bright and compact, almost like a big globular in the little binoculars, and I figured it had to be a nice target in any telescope. At Lake Sonoma, it was just 10 degrees off the horizon in the heart of the Santa Rosa light dome—the only visible reference star was pi-puppis, 7 degrees to the WNW. In my binoculars I was able to identify ngc 2451 (very coarse, large, close OC), about a degree from 2477 and so point the scope. Well, it was very washed out in the glare, but evidently very rich, compact OC of about 15’ diameter, a little oblong. It must be a beauty in southern skies, perhaps comparable to M 37."

BTW I have to disagree a bit with Warren and Joe, in that 2477 is much brighter overall than 7789--mag 5.8 vs. mag 6.7--I was really struck by the binocular view in Kauai--it's as bright as M13.

--George

Inge
NGC2477 has dec 38°S so it passes close to the zenith from my latitude. Interestingly, in my most detailed atlas, Uranometria 2000 Vol II, it is plotted as an empty circle! I'm afraid that I don't have any observing notes, but I'll check it out on the first clear night.
With an 80 mm APO and 22 Nagler (27X) on a moonless night Argo is simply stunning ... it's my favourite part of the sky.
Regards
Anthony
Wellington at 41°S 176°E

Yesterday I looked at 2477. It is brighter than 7789, a large (20'?), round swarm of small stars with no apparent concentration. Low power shows a dozen of faint stars against a nebulous glow, medium power shows many tens of stars and a bit of unresolved glow, at high power the cluster is fully resolved with averted vision. I used 80mm APO, the best view was with 13mm Nagler. There is a long chain of stars going North (does it belong to the cluster?) that makes this cluster look a bit like a stingray.

Full report from Brazil to follow.

Dmitri

Hi Inge,

Here is a link to one of my pictures of NGC 2477. I enjoy this cluster. Although the stars are not particularly bright, the cluster is very rich and this makes for a fine view. There are lots of other clusters in the region as well that you should also spend a few minutes hunting down.

http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/~mclark/2477.htm

Clear skies.

Maurice

Inge,

NGC 2477 is one of my favorite open clusters. It's visible from Pennsylvania but is a bit too low to really "shine". I first observed it at the Winter Star Party in the Florida Keys.

NGC 2477 and the nearby coarse cluster NGC 2451 bear a strong resemblence to M46 and M47. Both pairs are fine objects through binoculars and telescopes alike.

Dave Mitsky

Well, here's my try at it from the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was pretty low on the horizon and within the light cone of the distant town of Elkin, but this sure is a pretty cluster, many many stars. Scope: 5" refractor at f/4.5.
Ivan

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