Messier 35, also known as NGC 2168, is a bright and expansive open cluster containing over 500 stars. It is relatively young, estimated to be about 100-150 million years old, making it a prime target for studying stellar evolution. The cluster is dominated by hot, blue-white stars, with several orange and yellow giants scattered throughout. M35 is often photographed alongside its smaller, more distant neighbor NGC 2158, creating a striking contrast in size and density that makes for compelling astrophotography.
Names and Catalog numbers
- Messier 35 (M35)
- NGC 2168
- Melotte 41 (Mel 41)
Position and the cosmic neighborhood
Messier 35 can be found near Castor’s right foot in the constellation Gemini. It is easily located by drawing a line from the bright star Alhena to Capella, with M35 appearing just over halfway along this path. The cluster shares its celestial neighborhood with NGC 2158, which appears about 15 arcminutes to the southwest. This pairing offers astrophotographers an excellent opportunity to capture two distinctly different clusters in a single frame, showcasing the depth and diversity of our galaxy.
Nice to Know
- M35 is the only Messier object in the Gemini constellation.
- The cluster appears about the same size as the full moon in the night sky.
- M35 contains at least 120 stars brighter than magnitude 13.
- The first astrophotography image of M35 was taken on February 8th, 1893, by Isaac Roberts.
Brightness, distance and size
Messier 35 has an apparent magnitude of 5.2, making it visible to the naked eye under dark sky conditions. Located approximately 2,800 light-years away from Earth, the cluster spans about 24 light-years in diameter. In terms of apparent size, M35 covers an area of about 28 arcminutes in the night sky, which is slightly larger than the full moon. This combination of brightness and size makes M35 an ideal target for astrophotographers using a wide range of equipment, from DSLR cameras with telephoto lenses to larger telescopes.
