The Sky Today on Wednesday, September 17: The Owl Cluster flies by

The Owl Cluster (NGC 457) in Cassiopeia is visible in binoculars or any telescope tonight, flying overhead through the dark evening skies.
By | Published: September 17, 2025

The Owl Cluster is so named because it looks like an owl with its wings outstretched. The two brightest stars are the owl’s eyes; the bird appears with its head at upper left and tail at lower right in this image. Credit: Astrophoto Andy (Flickr, CC0)
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • NGC 457, also known as the Owl Cluster, is readily observable with binoculars or telescopes in the evening sky.
  • Located approximately 2.1° southwest of Delta Cassiopeiae, it is easily identified near Phi Cassiopeiae, one of its apparent "eyes".
  • The cluster, spanning 13' and possessing a combined magnitude of 6.4, contains nearly 100 stars, though its brightest stars are foreground objects, not part of the cluster itself.
  • NGC 457 is estimated to be roughly 8,000 light-years distant from Earth.
Key takeaways sponsored by The Space Store

NGC 457, also known as the Owl Cluster, is visible all evening, presenting an excellent target for binoculars and telescopes alike. 

Look northeast after dark to find the W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia. With the letter oriented the right way up as it rises, the first dip (on the left) is marked by magnitude 2.7 Delta (δ) Cassiopeiae. Just 2.1° southwest of this star is 5th-magnitude Phi (φ) Cas, which shines as one of the owl’s two eyes. 

From bright Phi, the cluster stretches to the northwest, looking like a bird’s body with its wings outstretched in flight. The cluster shines with a combined magnitude of 6.4 and spans about 13’. 

In total, NGC 457 contains nearly 100 stars. The cluster lies roughly 8,000 light-years from Earth — but its two brightest stars, Phi Cas and HD 7902 (the eyes), are not physically part of the group. Instead, they are closer foreground stars, lying between our planet and the young suns of the cluster. 

Sunrise: 6:43 A.M.
Sunset: 7:05 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:05 A.M.
Moonset: 5:18 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (17%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.

For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column. 

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