IC 1311 & Dolidze 2 – A Knot of Stars near Sadr
I had planned on bagging a couple galaxy observations on the night/morning of June 25 & 26th. However, the skies were not up to the task over the local park that I was observing from. With the change in observing plans I turned the 110mm refractor to Sadr (the center star in the northern cross). The Milky Way is thick with stars in this area along with the scattered patches of nebulosity collectively called IC 1318. The area is covered in named objects representing real or suspected Open Clusters in modern star atlases. The view through the eyepiece is so star choked it is at times difficult to locate some of the more subtle named Open Clusters or suspected Open Clusters.
Two collections of stars labeled as IC 1311 and Dolidze 2 are located a couple of degrees NE of Sadr. On the star maps Dolidze 2 surrounds the much smaller IC 1311. Through the 110mm refractor, Dolidze 2, looks like it might be a loose Open Cluster, but it really did not standout, for me, against the Milky Way background stars. Based on the most current literature sources, Dolidze 2 is likely just a chance gathering of fifteen or so bright stars which have no gravitational attraction to each other (an Asterism).
The smaller IC 1311 is another animal all together. A confirmed Open Cluster with its faint 70-plus stars produce an unresolved circular hazy glow in the eyepiece through the 110mm refractor. I can see why historically it was misidentified as a globular cluster.
IC 1311 & Dolidze 2 – A Knot of Stars near Sadr
I had planned on bagging a couple galaxy observations on the night/morning of June 25 & 26th. However, the skies were not up to the task over the local park that I was observing from. With the change in observing plans I turned the 110mm refractor to Sadr (the center star in the northern cross). The Milky Way is thick with stars in this area along with the scattered patches of nebulosity collectively called IC 1318. The area is covered in named objects representing real or suspected Open Clusters in modern star atlases. The view through the eyepiece is so star choked it is at times difficult to locate some of the more subtle named Open Clusters or suspected Open Clusters.
Two collections of stars labeled as IC 1311 and Dolidze 2 are located a couple of degrees NE of Sadr. On the star maps Dolidze 2 surrounds the much smaller IC 1311. Through the 110mm refractor, Dolidze 2, looks like it might be a loose Open Cluster, but it really did not standout, for me, against the Milky Way background stars. Based on the most current literature sources, Dolidze 2 is likely just a chance gathering of fifteen or so bright stars which have no gravitational attraction to each other (an Asterism).
The smaller IC 1311 is another animal all together. A confirmed Open Cluster with its faint 70-plus stars produce an unresolved circular hazy glow in the eyepiece through the 110mm refractor. I can see why historically it was misidentified as a globular cluster.