Key Takeaways:
- The article details the observation of NGC 559, an open star cluster also designated Caldwell 8 and informally known as the "Ghost's Goblet," presented as a celestial event for Halloween.
- This cluster is situated in the constellation Cassiopeia, specifically positioned 2.8° west of Epsilon (ε) Cassiopeiae, and is characterized by a visual magnitude of 9.5 and an angular diameter of 7 arcminutes, rendering it observable with binoculars and telescopes.
- The descriptive name "Ghost's Goblet" originates from Stephen James O’Meara's interpretation of the cluster's triangular core and surrounding stellar arcs as a ghostly, vanishing goblet containing "fleeting vapors."
- For the specified observation date, the Moon will be in a waxing gibbous phase with approximately 75% illumination, complemented by local times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset.
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October 30: Mercury, Mars, and Antares
This Halloween, peer into the Ghost’s Goblet, a young grouping of stars in Cassiopeia the Queen. Formally cataloged as NGC 559 and Caldwell 8, you’ll find this open cluster high in the northeast a few hours after sunset. Look for the W of stars that form Cassiopeia’s body — early in the evening, it stands on its side, looking like the number 3. NGC 559 is located between the last two stars at the bottom of the number, Delta (δ) and Epsilon (ε) Cassiopeiae. Draw a line between these stars, then look just a little left of the midpoint, or about 2.8° due west of Epsilon (at the very bottom). There lies the Ghost’s Goblet.
Shining at magnitude 9.5, the Ghost’s Goblet is visible in binoculars and is a great target for any telescope, small or large. It spans about 7’ and shows off numerous bright stars in its triangular core.
So, why is it called the Ghost’s Goblet? This name was bestowed by Astronomy contributor Stephen James O’Meara, who sees that triangle-shaped core as the cup of an antique goblet, with ever-fainter arcs of stars defining its outline. He writes in his book The Caldwell Objects: “The faint glow of unresolved starlight within the cup seems to be a brew of fleeting vapors. With imagination this central core takes on an eerie quality, that of a still photograph of a ghostly jeweled goblet in the act of vanishing.”
What do you see?
Sunrise: 7:29 A.M.
Sunset: 5:58 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:24 P.M.
Moonset: 1:31 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (75%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location.
