Caldwell 79 — Globular Cluster in Vela
NGC 3201
About C79
Description
NGC 3201 is a globular cluster in Vela, about 16,300 light-years away. It is notable for having one of the highest radial velocities of any globular cluster, approaching us at about 490 km/s, and for its relatively loose, sparse structure.
Observing Tips
Visible as a moderately bright, round glow in a 4-inch telescope. An 8-inch scope resolves it well at 100-150x, revealing a loose, granular texture without a strongly concentrated core. Best in spring from southern locations.
History
Discovered by James Dunlop on May 28, 1826 from Australia. Its high velocity and retrograde orbit suggest it may have been captured from a satellite galaxy.
Fun Facts
NGC 3201 contains a stellar-mass black hole (about 4.4 solar masses) detected through the orbital wobble of a companion star — one of the first dormant black holes found in a globular cluster.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Easy | Easy | Easy |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
3Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
4
Eyepiece View
5
Best Magnification
6Metallicity
[Fe/H] = -1.59 — these stars formed from gas about 39× poorer in iron than the Sun.
7Concentration class
Shapley-Sawyer class VI — moderately concentrated core.
Explore
8
Classification Decoder
Discover
9
Light Travel Time Machine
10
Relativistic Travel
Community Photos (1)
Credit: en:NASA, en:STScI, en:WikiSky. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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