Favourite Open Clusters

[glenc (Glen)]

I assumed that Adrian was joking.

[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

That was pretty obvious, it wouldn't otherwise make anyone's top 500 lol

Cheers,
John B

[MichaelSW (Michael)]

On the strength of excitement shown in Suzy’s thread – Deep Sky Companions “Southern Gems”, I sent off my pre-order. When it arrived, the first thing I did was go to the Index to find what Stephen J O’Meara might have to say about my favourite open cluster.

First to the NGC listings – it wasn’t there. Then to the common name – it wasn’t there either. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. How could I be so wrong? Maybe beauty is only in the eye of the beholder.

With somewhat diminished enthusiasm for my purchase, I started my read-through from page 1. And when I got to Southern Gem #46 – The Spider Spit Cluster, Little Jewell Box ?? Hey, my No.1 open cluster was there after all – NGC 3293, The Gem.

When I first saw NGC 3293, the stars, the colours, the pattern just grabbed me. I said to myself, "I see a mother eagle settling onto her nest of chicks with wings a little spread over them". I can also make out a coral polyp's view of a sea turtle cruising overhead, but when I'm showing people, I stick with the eagle description.

And yes, mother eagles and marine turtles are also in the eye of the beholder.

[Jon (Jonathan)]

Gem (3293)
Jewel Box
M11 wild Duck
M41
M7

[glenc (Glen)]

Please add your five favourites to the GC, nebula and PN threads, if you have not done so.
Thanks Glen

[astroron (Ron)]

With somewhat diminished enthusiasm for my purchase, I started my read-through from page 1. And when I got to Southern Gem #46 – The Spider Spit Cluster, Little Jewell Box ?? Hey, my No.1 open cluster was there after all – NGC 3293, The Gem.

Spider Spit Cluster!
How I hate some of the crap names given by this crass American naming game
Silver coin, Spider Spit,Spanish dancer,ect.
And now we have and a plethora of other self made catalogues such as the Caldwell,O'meara and so on,and to think the NGC/IC was made to bring things together.
Cheers

[Allan]

NGC 4755 - Jewel Box
NGC 3293 - Gem
M7 - Ptolemy's
M45 - Pleiades
M11 - Wild Duck

[bigjoe (JOSEPH)]

Originally Posted by AG Hybrid

Those listed may be your favorites. But the best one by far is M73. Just, no comparison. Yep!

That being said I mirror Rob's sentiment that compact open clusters tend to be the prettiest.

M73 is the best tho.

Mr Herschel was right. Y (haw) would Messier call this an open cluster at all!
Most underwhelming!

[anthonyc1 (Anthony)]

My top 5 are:

Jewel Box
NGC 3532
IC 2602
M41
M11

Although I'm sure my top 5 may be chopped and change over time as I am still very early into my observing career!

[glenc (Glen)]

Please list your 10 favourite galaxies if you have not already done so. Thanks Glen
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=114308

[Tropo-Bob (Bob)]

5 Great Open Clusters:-
Pleiades
M7
NGC 3532
NGC 6231
NGC 3293

[glenc (Glen)]

I plan to combine all this information next week.
See http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=114641

[glenc (Glen)]

My 5 favourite open clusters are:
M45
N2516
N6231
M11
M46

[glenc (Glen)]

Thank you everyone for participating. The results are summarised here.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=114641