M35
NGC 2168
Properties
Position & Identifiers
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M35 · 24.0′ diameter · N up, E left
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About M35
Description
M35 is a large, bright open cluster in Gemini, about 2,800 light-years from Earth. It contains roughly 200 stars spread across about 24 light-years, with an age of about 100 million years. The cluster is a beautiful visual target, especially when viewed alongside the much more distant and compact cluster NGC 2158, which lies just 25 arcminutes to the southwest.
Observing Tips
Located near the 'foot' of Gemini, about 2.5 degrees northwest of Eta Geminorum. Visible to the naked eye as a hazy patch. Binoculars show a large, rich scattering of stars. A telescope at 40-60x reveals a stunning field of perhaps 100 stars with curving chains. At the southwest edge, look for the compact, much fainter glow of NGC 2158 — a beautiful contrast of a nearby vs. distant cluster. Best observed from December through April.
History
Discovered by Philippe Loys de Cheseaux around 1745-46 and independently found by John Bevis before 1750. Charles Messier cataloged it in 1764.
Fun Facts
The pairing of M35 with NGC 2158 is a wonderful lesson in astronomical perspective. M35 is 2,800 light-years away while NGC 2158 is about 11,000 light-years distant — four times farther. NGC 2158 is also much older (about 1 billion years), so comparing the two shows how clusters age.