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C37

NGC 6885

Open Cluster Excellent (72/100)
C37 OpenCluster Vulpecula Visible Level 1 Naked eye / Binoculars - Wide field preferred
Credit: Roberto Mura. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
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Properties

Magnitude 6.0
Angular Size 7 arcmin
Distance 1900 ly
Open Cluster [Distance: 1900 ly]

Position & Identifiers

RA 20h 12m 16.1s
Dec +26° 28' 58.8"
Constellation Vulpecula
Catalog C37

Visibility

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About C37

Description

NGC 6885 is an open cluster in Vulpecula, about 1,950 light-years away. It is a compact group of about 30 stars surrounding the bright star 20 Vulpeculae, spanning about 7 arcminutes.

Observing Tips

Easy to locate near 20 Vulpeculae. A small telescope at low power shows the cluster nicely. It overlaps with the larger, sparser cluster NGC 6882. Best observed in summer and early autumn evenings.

History

Discovered by William Herschel on September 8, 1784. The relationship between NGC 6882 and NGC 6885 has been debated, with some considering them one cluster and others treating them as separate overlapping groups.

Fun Facts

The bright star 20 Vulpeculae at the cluster's center is a blue-white giant visible to the naked eye at magnitude 5.9, making the cluster easy to find.

Community Photos (1)

Credit: Roberto Mura. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)

Credit: Roberto Mura. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)

Skybred Mar 2, 2026