Open cluster · Taurus
NGC 1647 Pirate Moon Cluster
mag 6.427′ across
About
NGC 1647, the Pirate Moon Cluster, is an open cluster of magnitude 6.4 in Taurus, about 27′ across.
How to find it
- NGC 1647 is in the constellation Taurus.
- Best evenings: around mid-January it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
- Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 61° S.
When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.
What you will see
- EyesNot visible to the naked eye.
- Binoculars (10×50)A rich scattering of stars — binoculars often give the best view.
- Telescope (6–8 inch)Dozens of stars, many sharp and some coloured.
For a dark country sky with no Moon. From a city, faint galaxies and nebulae can disappear completely.
Facts
| Designations | NGC 1647 |
|---|---|
| Type | Open cluster |
| Magnitude | 6.4The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Apparent size | 27′the full Moon is 31′ across |
| Constellation | Taurus |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 04h 45m 55.6s |
| Declination (J2000) | +19° 05′ 42″ |
Sources and credits
Catalog data: OpenNGC by Mattia Verga, CC BY-SA 4.0, and d3-celestial by Olaf Frohn, BSD 3-Clause. All data sources →