Star Clusters (eBook)

Charles Cardona has been a teaching assistant in Astronomy at SUNY Suffolk Community College in New York, a former observatory director, a Variable Star section director, and a chairman of the board at the Custer Institute Observatory. He also taught courses, lectures, and seminars in Astronomy, Optics, and Computer Science. He was also the publisher of the Observatory Report Newsletter. In addition to his astronomy work, Charles has been an entrepreneur and has built and sold several companies. During the past 10 years, he has donated more than $200,000 to astronomy, education, and related children’s causes. He recently organized the installation of a new observatory dome and telescope equipment. He is currently involved in various educational programs and groups dedicated to finding missing children.

About the Author 8
Preface 10
Acknowledgements 12
Contents 14
Part 1:Background 16
Chapter 1: Introduction 17
Chapter 2: Understanding Stars and Star Clusters 19
Open Star Clusters 23
Globular Star Clusters 25
Telescopes for Observing Star Clusters 29
Chapter 3: How to Use This Book 30
Part 2:Star Cluster 31
Chapter 4: Descriptions, Images, and Charts 32
M103 in Cassiopeia 32
Suggested Instruments 33
NGC 752 in Andromeda 35
Suggested Instruments 36
NGC 869 and NGC 884 in Perseus (The Double Cluster) 38
Suggested Instruments 39
M34 in Perseus 41
Suggested Instruments 42
Melotte 20 in Perseus 44
Suggested Instruments 45
M45 in Taurus 47
Suggested Instruments 48
The Hyades (or Melotte 25) in Taurus 50
Suggested Instruments 51
M79 in Lepus 53
Suggested Instruments 54
M38 in Auriga 56
Suggested Instruments 57
M36 in Auriga 59
Suggested Instruments 60
M37 in Auriga 62
Suggested Instruments 63
M35 in Gemini 65
Suggested Instruments 66
NGC 2244 in Monoceros (Rosette Nebula Cluster) 68
Suggested Instruments 69
M41 in Canis Major 71
Suggested Instruments 72
M93 in Puppis 74
Suggested Instruments 75
M48 in Hydra 77
Suggested Instruments 78
M44 in Cancer (Beehive or Praesepe Cluster) 80
Suggested Instruments 81
M67 in Cancer 83
Suggested Instruments 84
Collinder 285 in URSA Major (URSA Major Moving Cluster) 86
Suggested Instrument 87
M68 in Hydra 89
Suggested Instruments 90
M53 in Coma Berenices 92
Suggested Instruments 93
M3 in Canes Venatici 95
Suggested Instruments 96
M5 in Serpens 98
Suggested Instruments 99
M80 in Scorpius 101
Suggested Instruments 102
M4 in Scorpius 104
Suggested Instruments 105
M107 in Ophiuchus 107
Suggested Instruments 108
M13 in Hercules 110
Suggested Instruments 111
M12 in Ophiuchus 113
Suggested Instruments 114
NGC 6231 in Scorpius 116
Suggested Instruments 117
M10 in Ophiuchus 119
Suggested Instruments 120
M62 in Ophiuchus 122
Suggested Instruments 123
M19 in Ophiuchus 125
Suggested Instruments 126
M92 in Hercules 128
Suggested Instruments 129
M9 in Ophiuchus 131
Suggested Instruments 132
M14 in Ophiuchus 134
Suggested Instruments 135
M6 in Scorpius (Butterfly Cluster) 137
Suggested Instruments 138
M7 in Scorpius (Ptolemy’S Cluster) 140
Suggested Instruments 141
M23 in Sagittarius 143
Suggested Instruments 144
M21 in Sagittarius 146
Suggested Instruments 147
NGC 6530 in Sagittarius 149
Suggested Instruments 150
M24 in Sagittarius (Sagittarius Star Cloud) 152
Suggested Instruments 153
M16 in Serpens (Eagle Nebula Cluster) 155
Suggested Instruments 156
M18 in Sagittarius 158
Suggested Instruments 159
M28 in Sagittarius 161
Suggested Instruments 162
NGC 6633 in Ophiuchus 164
Suggested Instruments 165
M25 in Sagittarius 167
Suggested Instruments 168
M22 in Sagittarius 170
Suggested Instruments 171
M26 in Scutum 173
Suggested Instruments 174
M11 in Scutum (Wild Duck Cluster) 176
Suggested Instruments 177
M56 in Lyra 179
Suggested Instruments 180
Index 182