Another project to capture as many Caldwell objects as possible. Many of the later ones (60+) are southern hemisphere objects so it is unlikely I will get them here – at least not without some travel.
“The Caldwell Catalogue is an astronomical catalog of 109 bright star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies for observation by amateur astronomers. The list was compiled by Sir Patrick Caldwell-Moore, better known as Patrick Moore, as a complement to the Messier Catalogue.”
| C# | NGC/IC | Con. | Type | Mag. | Size () | Description |
| 1 | 188 | Cep | OC | 8.1 | 14 | |
| 2 | 40 | Cep | PN | 11.6 | 0.6 | |
| 3 | 4236 | Dra | SbG | 9.7 | 21 x 7 | |
| 4 | 7023 | Cep | BN | 6.8 | 18 x 18 | Reflection Nebula |
| 5 | IC 342 | Cam | SBcG | 9.2 | 18 x 17 | |
| 6 | 6543 | Dra | PN | 8.8 | 0.3/5.8 | Cat’s Eye Nebula |
| 7 | 2403 | Cam | ScG | 8.9 | 18 x 10 | |
| 8 | 559 | Cas | OC | 9.5 | 4 | |
| 9 | Sh2-155 | Cep | BN | 7.7 | 50 x 10 | Cave Nebula |
| 10 | 663 | Cas | OC | 7.1 | 16 | |
| 11 | 7635 | Cas | BN | 7.0 | 15 x 8 | Bubble Nebula |
| 12 | 6946 | Cep | ScG | 9.7 | 11 x 9 | |
| 13 | 457 | Cas | OC | 6.4 | 13 | Phi Cas Cluster |
| 14 | 869/ 884 | Per | OC double | 4.3 | 30 and 30 | Sword Handle |
| 15 | 6826 | Cyg | PN | 9.8 | 0.5/2.3 | Blinking Nebula |
| 16 | 7243 | Lac | OC | 6.4 | 21 | |
| 17 | 147 | Cas | dE4G | 9.3 | 13 x 8 | |
| 18 | 185 | Cas | dE0G | 9.2 | 12 x 9 | |
| 19 | IC 5146 | Cyg | BN | 10.0 | 12 x 12 | Cocoon Neb |
| 20 | 7000 | Cyg | BN | 6.0 | 120 x 100 | North American Nebula |
| 21 | 4449 | CVn | IG | 9.4 | 5 x 3 | |
| 22 | 7662 | And | PN | 9.2 | 0.3/2.2 | |
| 23 | 891 | And | SbG | 9.9 | 14 x 2 | |
| 24 | 1275 | Per | Seyfert G | 11.6 | 2.6 x 1 | Per A radio source |
| 25 | 2419 | Lyn | GC | 10.4 | 4.1 | |
| 26 | 4244 | CVn | SG | 10.6 | 16 x 2.5 | |
| 27 | 6888 | Cyg | BN | 7.5 | 20 x 10 | Crescent Nebula |
| 28 | 752 | And | OC | 5.7 | 50 | |
| 29 | 5005 | CVn | SbG | 9.8 | 5.4 x 2 | |
| 30 | 7331 | Peg | SbG | 9.5 | 11 x 4 | |
| 31 | IC 405 | Aur | BN | 6.0 | 30 x 19 | Flaming Star Nebula |
| 32 | 4631 | CVn | ScG | 9.3 | 15 x 3 | |
| 33 | 6992/5 | Cyg | SN | — | 60 x 8 | East Veil Nebula |
| 34 | 6960 | Cyg | SN | — | 70 x 6 | West Veil Nebula |
| 35 | 4889 | Com | E4G | 11.4 | 3 x 2 | Brightest in cluster |
| 36 | 4559 | Com | ScG | 9.8 | 10 x 4 | |
| 37 | 6885 | Vul | OC | 5.7 | 7 | |
| 38 | 4565 | Com | SbG | 9.6 | 16 x 3 | |
| 39 | 2392 | Gem | PN | 9.9 | 0.2/0.7 | Eskimo Nebula |
| 40 | 3626 | Leo | SbG | 10.9 | 3 x 2 | |
| 41 | — | Tau | OC | 1.0 | 330 | Hyades |
| 42 | 7006 | Del | GC | 10.6 | 2.8 | Very distant globular |
| 43 | 7814 | Peg | SbG | 10.5 | 6 x 2 | |
| 44 | 7479 | Peg | SBbG | 11.0 | 4 x 3 | |
| 45 | 5248 | Boo | ScG | 10.2 | 6 x 4 | |
| 46 | 2261 | Mon | BN | 10.0 | 2 x 1 | Hubble’s Variable Neb. |
| 47 | 6934 | Del | GC | 8.9 | 5.9 | |
| 48 | 2775 | Can | SaG | 10.3 | 4.5 x 3 | |
| 49 | 2237-9 | Mon | BN | — | 80 x 60 | Rosette Nebula |
| 50 | 2244 | Mon | OC | 4.8 | 24 | |
| 51 | IC 1613 | Cet | IG | 9.0 | 12 x 11 | |
| 52 | 4697 | Vir | E4G | 9.3 | 6 x 3 | |
| 53 | 3115 | Sex | E6G | 9.1 | 8 x 3 | Spindle Galaxy |
| 54 | 2506 | Mon | OC | 7.6 | 7 | |
| 55 | 7009 | Aqr | PN | 8.3 | 2.5/1 | Saturn Nebula |
| 56 | 246 | Cet | PN | 8.0 | 3.8 | |
| 57 | 6822 | Sgr | IG | 9.3 | 10 x 9 | Barnard’s Galaxy |
| 58 | 2360 | CMa | OC | 7.2 | 13 | |
| 59 | 3242 | Hya | PN | 8.6 | 0.3/21 | Ghost of Jupiter |
| 60 | 4038 | Crv | ScG | 11.3 | 2.6 x 1.8 | The Antennae |
| 61 | 4039 | Crv | ScG | 13.0 | 3.2 x 2.2 | The Antennae |
| 62 | 247 | Cet | SG | 8.9 | 20 x 7 | |
| 63 | 7293 | Aqr | PN | 6.5 | 13 | Helix Nebula |
| 64 | 2362 | CMa | OC | 4.1 | 8 | Tau CMa Cluster |
| 65 | 253 | Scl | SG | 7.1 | 25 x 7 | Sculptor Galaxy |
| 66 | 5694 | Hya | GC | 10.2 | 3.6 | |
| 67 | 1097 | For | SBbG | 9.2 | 9 x 6 | |
| 68 | 6729 | CrA | BN | 9.7 | 1.0 | R CrA Nebula |
| 69 | 6302 | Sco | PN | 12.8 | 0.8 | Bug Nebula |
| 70 | 300 | Scl | SdG | 8.1 | 20 x 13 | |
| 71 | 2477 | Pup | OC | 5.8 | 27 | |
| 72 | 55 | Scl | SBG | 8.2 | 32 x 6 | Brightest in Scl Cluster |
| 73 | 1851 | Col | GC | 7.3 | 11 | |
| 74 | 3132 | Vel | PN | 8.2 | 0.8 | |
| 75 | 6124 | Sco | OC | 5.8 | 29 | |
| 76 | 6231 | Sco | OC | 2.6 | 15 | |
| 77 | 5128 | Cen | Peculiar Galaxy | 7.0 | 18 x 14 | Cen A radio source |
| 78 | 6541 | CrA | GC | 6.6 | 13 | |
| 79 | 3201 | Vel | GC | 6.7 | 18 | |
| 80 | 5139 | Cen | GC | 3.6 | 36 | Omega Centauri |
| 81 | 6352 | Ara | GC | 8.1 | 7 | |
| 82 | 6193 | Ara | OC | 5.2 | 15 | |
| 83 | 4945 | Cen | SBcG | 9.5 | 20 x 4 | |
| 84 | 5286 | Cen | GC | 7.6 | 9 | |
| 85 | IC 2391 | Vel | OC | 2.5 | 50 | o (Omicron) Vel Cluster |
| 86 | 6397 | Ara | GC | 5.6 | 26 | |
| 87 | 1261 | Hor | GC | 8.4 | 7 | |
| 88 | 5823 | Cir | OC | 7.9 | 10 | |
| 89 | 6087 | Nor | OC | 5.4 | 12 | S Nor Cluster |
| 90 | 2867 | Car | PN | 9.7 | 0.2 | |
| 91 | 3532 | Car | OC | 3.0 | 55 | |
| 92 | 3372 | Car | BN | 6.2 | 120 x 120 | Eta Carinae Nebula |
| 93 | 6752 | Pav | GC | 5.4 | 20 | |
| 94 | 4755 | Cru | OC | 4.2 | 10 | Jewel Box Cluster |
| 95 | 6025 | TrA | OC | 5.1 | 12 | |
| 96 | 2516 | Car | OC | 3.8 | 30 | |
| 97 | 3766 | Cen | OC | 5.3 | 12 | |
| 98 | 4609 | Cru | OC | 6.9 | 5 | |
| 99 | — | Cru | DN | — | 400 x 300 | Coal Sack |
| 100 | IC 2944 | Cen | OC | 4.5 | 15 | – (Lambda) Cen Cluster |
| 101 | 6744 | Pav | SBbG | 9.0 | 16 x 10 | |
| 102 | IC 2602 | Car | OC | 1.9 | 50 | ÷ (Theta) Car Cluster |
| 103 | 2070 | Dor | BN | 1.0 | 40 x 25 | Tarantula Neb. in LMC |
| 104 | 362 | Tuc | GC | 6.6 | 13 | |
| 105 | 4833 | Mus | GC | 7.3 | 14 | |
| 106 | 104 | Tuc | GC | 4.0 | 31 | 47 Tucanae |
| 107 | 6101 | Aps | GC | 9.3 | 11 | |
| 108 | 4372 | Mus | GC | 7.8 | 19 | |
| 109 | 3195 | Cha | PN | — | 0.6 |
BN = Bright nebula
GC = Globular cluster
OC = Open cluster
EG = Elliptical (type) galaxy
DN = Dark nebula
IG = Irregular galaxy
PN = Planetary nebula
SN = Supernova remnant
SG = Spiral (type) galaxy
NGC 891 Silver Sliver Galaxy / Caldwell 23
| Object ID | NGC 891 / Caldwell 23 |
| Details | 2022-01-03 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC Altair Astro Tri-band filter |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 15x300s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Double Cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884 / C14
Revisiting an old friend. Two rich open clusters at similar distances from us of 7,500 light years.
| Object ID | Double Cluster NGC 869 and NGC 884 / C14 |
| Details | Open Clusters Perseus 2021-11-12 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC IDAS D3 |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 20x180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
Galaxies Galore – Stephan’s Quintet and NGC 7331/C30
Stephan’s Quintet is to the left, consisting of 4 related galaxies and NGC 7320 which is a foreground galaxy. Their brightness’s range from +14.6 to +15.7.
NGC 7318B is colliding with gas in the group, producing a huge shock wave bigger than the Milky Way, spreading through the medium between the galaxies, heating the gas to millions of degrees, emitting X-rays.
A sixth galaxy, NGC 7320C appears to be connected by a tidal tail (just visible) to NGC 7319.
NGC 7331 or Caldwell 30 (to the right) is similar in size and structure to the Milky Way, 40M light years away. A discovery by William Herschel in 1784. It is the main body in the NGC 7331 Group, which contains unbarred spirals NGC 7335 and 7336, the barred spiral galaxy NGC 7337 and the elliptical galaxy NGC 7340. These other galaxies are all much further away (~300M ly), so not related to NGC 7331.
| Object ID | Stephan’s Quintet and NGC 7331/C30 |
| Details | Galaxy Cluster Pegasus 2021-11-03 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC IDAS D3 |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 15x180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
NGC 752 / C28 Open Cluster
Looks ordinary but lots of interest in there if you dig a bit deeper – obviously not all associated with the cluster but just in the fov. Includes a fair number of galaxies, spectroscopic binaries, X ray sources, galaxy groups, radio sources, ir sources, stars with high proper motions. The cluster itself contains about 258 stars, mostly low mass in the main sequence or red giant stage. About 1300 ly away and just on the edge of naked eye visibility at mag. 5.7.
| Object ID | NGC 752 / C28 |
| Details | Open Cluster Andromeda Mag.5.7 Size 75′ 2021-11-01 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC IDAS D3 |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C |
| Exposure(s) | 10x180s d,f,b |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop |
C3 NGC 4236
Added more data to this one but still very tricky. More horrible gradients to deal with. The IDAS P2 LP filter is no longer doing it’s job with the change in LP sources round here. Have now bought the IDAS D3 to see if that is any better as it deals more with LED lighting.
| Object ID | C3 NGC 4236 Draco |
| Details | Mag. 10.5 Size 121′.9 × 7′.2 2021-04-12 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 20x180s, 25x300s 10/50 gain/offset darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI |
C5 The Hidden Galaxy
Another go a this for the ASE Caldwell Project. A really tricky one this. Hidden in the dust from our own galaxy, this would actually be naked eye brightness if not obscured. From two sets of data but still challenging.
| Object ID | C4 NGC7023 Iris Nebula |
| Details | Mag. 9.1 Size 21.4′ x 20.9′ 2021-04-11 |
| Telescope | 250mm f4.8 Newtonian, MPCC |
| Camera | QHY168C @-15°C IDAS P2 |
| Exposure(s) | 25 x 240s, 14x180s darks, flats, bias |
| Capture | NINA |
| Processing | APP, Photoshop, Topaz Denoise AI |