Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Tucana (Tuc)  ·  Contains:  HD6662  ·  NGC 362
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Globular cluster, NGC 362 (Caldwell 104, Mel 4, 75 Tucanae), Paul Lloyd
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Globular cluster, NGC 362 (Caldwell 104, Mel 4, 75 Tucanae)

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Globular cluster, NGC 362 (Caldwell 104, Mel 4, 75 Tucanae), Paul Lloyd
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Globular cluster, NGC 362 (Caldwell 104, Mel 4, 75 Tucanae)

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Description

North of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC, NGC 292) lies the visually small globular cluster, NGC 362.
While visible to the naked eye in dark skies, it is often overlooked beside its much larger and brighter
cousin, 47 Tucanae (NGC 104, Caldwell 106). It is bright enough for it to be mistaken as a star
hence its 75 Tuc Flamsteed designation.

NGC 362 lies some 29,300ly away, making it very definitely a member of our galaxy, and not of the
SMC. It is estimated to be just 11 Gy old, rather young for a globular cluster. It has an exceptionally
tight core (just 13ly in diameter), has an over abundance in binary stars, and its orbit around our
galaxy’s core is highly eccentric.

The prominent bright star to the south-east of the cluster is a magnitude 8.2 G8 star, catalogued
as SAO 255738/HIP 5107/HD 6662.


Telescope: William Optics FLT110 refractor + 2x Barlow (f=1540mm)
Camera:    ZWO ASI294MC Pro, gain=125
Exposure: 32 x 60 sec, no filter
                  Bortle 3-4 sky, 30% Moon waxing
Field of View: approx. 0º 30’ x 0º 20’?Image processed and prepared in PixInsight and Photoshop Elements

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  • Globular cluster, NGC 362 (Caldwell 104, Mel 4, 75 Tucanae), Paul Lloyd
    Original
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    Globular cluster, NGC 362 (Caldwell 104, Mel 4, 75 Tucanae), Paul Lloyd
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Globular cluster, NGC 362 (Caldwell 104, Mel 4, 75 Tucanae), Paul Lloyd