Caldwell catalogue explained

The Caldwell catalogue is an astronomical catalogue of 109 star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies for observation by amateur astronomers. The list was compiled by Patrick Moore as a complement to the Messier catalogue.

While the Messier catalogue is used by amateur astronomers as a list of deep-sky objects for observation, Moore noted that Messier's list was not compiled for that purpose and excluded many of the sky's brightest deep-sky objects, such as the Hyades, the Double Cluster (NGC 869 and NGC 884), and the Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253). The Messier catalogue was actually compiled as a list of known objects that might be confused with comets. Moore also observed that since Messier compiled his list from observations in Paris, it did not include bright deep-sky objects visible in the Southern Hemisphere, such as Omega Centauri, Centaurus A, the Jewel Box, and 47 Tucanae.[1] [2] Moore compiled a list of 109 objects to match the commonly accepted number of Messier objects (he excluded M110), and the list was published in Sky & Telescope in December 1995.[3]

Moore used his other surname – Caldwell – to name the list, since the initial of "Moore" is already used for the Messier catalogue.[4] Entries in the catalogue are designated with a "C" and the catalogue number (1 to 109).

Unlike objects in the Messier catalogue, which are listed roughly in the order of discovery by Messier and his colleagues,[5] the Caldwell catalogue is ordered by declination, with C1 being the most northerly and C109 being the most southerly,[1] although two objects (NGC 4244 and the Hyades) are listed out of sequence. Other errors in the original list have since been corrected: it incorrectly identified the S Norma Cluster (NGC 6087) as NGC 6067 and incorrectly labelled the Lambda Centauri Cluster (IC 2944) as the Gamma Centauri Cluster.

Reception

The Caldwell Catalogue has generated controversy in the amateur astronomy community for several reasons.[6]

Caldwell advocates, however, see the catalog as a useful list of some of the brightest and best known non-Messier deep-sky objects. Thus, advocates dismiss any "controversy" as being fabricated by older amateurs simply not able or willing to memorize the new designations despite every telescope database using the Caldwell IDs as the primary designation for over 25 years. NASA/Hubble also lists the 109 objects by their Caldwell number.

Caldwell star chart

Number of objects by type in the Caldwell catalogue

Type of object Number
of objects
1
35
18
Nebulae 9
25
Star clusters and nebulae 6
13
Supernova remnants 2
Total 109

Caldwell objects

Caldwell numberNGC numberCommon nameImageTypeDistance
(1000 ly)		ConstellationApparent magnitude
C1NGC 188Polarissima ClusterOpen Cluster4.8Cepheus8.1
C2NGC 40Bow-Tie NebulaPlanetary Nebula3.5Cepheus11
C3NGC 4236 Barred Spiral Galaxy7,000Draco9.7
C4NGC 7023Iris NebulaOpen Cluster and Nebula1.4Cepheus7
C5IC 342Hidden Galaxy[7] Spiral Galaxy10,000Camelopardalis9
C6NGC 6543Cat's Eye NebulaPlanetary Nebula3Draco9
C7NGC 2403 Spiral Galaxy14,000Camelopardalis8.4
C8NGC 559 Open Cluster3.7Cassiopeia9.5
C9Sh2-155Cave NebulaNebula2.8Cepheus7.7
C10NGC 663 Open Cluster7.2Cassiopeia7.1
C11NGC 7635Bubble NebulaNebula7.1Cassiopeia10
C12NGC 6946Fireworks GalaxySpiral Galaxy18,000Cepheus8.9
C13NGC 457Owl Cluster, E.T. ClusterOpen Cluster-Cassiopeia6.4
C14NGC 869 & NGC 884Double Cluster, h & χ PerseiOpen Cluster7.3Perseus4
C15NGC 6826Blinking PlanetaryPlanetary Nebula2.2Cygnus10
C16NGC 7243 Open Cluster2.5Lacerta6.4
C17NGC 147 Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy2,300Cassiopeia9.3
C18NGC 185 Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy2,300Cassiopeia9.2
C19IC 5146Cocoon NebulaOpen Cluster and Nebula3.3Cygnus7.2
C20NGC 7000North America NebulaNebula2.6Cygnus4
C21NGC 4449 Irregular galaxy10,000Canes Venatici9.4
C22NGC 7662Blue SnowballPlanetary Nebula3.2Andromeda9
C23NGC 891Silver Sliver GalaxySpiral Galaxy31,000Andromeda10
C24NGC 1275Perseus ASupergiant Elliptical Galaxy230,000Perseus11.6
C25NGC 2419 Globular Cluster275Lynx10.4
C26NGC 4244 Spiral Galaxy10,000Canes Venatici10.2
C27NGC 6888Crescent NebulaNebula4.7Cygnus7.4
C28NGC 752 Open Cluster1.2Andromeda5.7
C29NGC 5005 Spiral Galaxy69,000Canes Venatici9.8
C30NGC 7331 Spiral Galaxy47,000Pegasus9.5
C31IC 405Flaming Star NebulaNebula1.6Auriga13
C32NGC 4631Whale GalaxyBarred Spiral Galaxy22,000Canes Venatici9.3
C33NGC 6992East Veil NebulaSupernova Remnant2.5Cygnus7
C34NGC 6960West Veil NebulaSupernova Remnant2.5Cygnus7
C35NGC 4889Coma BSupergiant Elliptical Galaxy300,000Coma Berenices11.4
C36NGC 4559 Spiral Galaxy32,000Coma Berenices9.9
C37NGC 6885 Open Cluster1.95Vulpecula6
C38NGC 4565Needle GalaxySpiral Galaxy32,000Coma Berenices9.6
C39NGC 2392Eskimo Nebula, Clown Face Nebula[8] Planetary Nebula4Gemini10
C40NGC 3626Lenticular Galaxy86,000Leo10.9
C41Mel 25HyadesOpen Cluster0.151Taurus0.5
C42NGC 7006 Globular Cluster135Delphinus10.6
C43NGC 7814 Spiral Galaxy49,000Pegasus10.5
C44NGC 7479Superman GalaxyBarred Spiral Galaxy106,000Pegasus11
C45NGC 5248 Spiral Galaxy74,000Boötes10.2
C46NGC 2261Hubble's Variable NebulaNebula2.5Monoceros-
C47NGC 6934 Globular Cluster57Delphinus8.9
C48NGC 2775 Spiral Galaxy55,000Cancer10.3
C49NGC 2237Rosette NebulaNebula4.9Monoceros9.0
C50NGC 2244Satellite Cluster[9] Open Cluster4.9Monoceros4.8
C51IC 1613 Irregular galaxy2,300Cetus9.3
C52NGC 4697 Elliptical galaxy76,000Virgo9.3
C53NGC 3115Spindle GalaxyLenticular Galaxy22,000Sextans9.2
C54NGC 2506 Open Cluster10Monoceros7.6
C55NGC 7009Saturn NebulaPlanetary Nebula1.4Aquarius8
C56NGC 246Skull Nebula[10] Planetary Nebula1.6Cetus8
C57NGC 6822Barnard's GalaxyBarred irregular galaxy2,300Sagittarius9
C58NGC 2360Caroline's ClusterOpen Cluster3.7Canis Major7.2
C59NGC 3242Ghost of JupiterPlanetary Nebula1.4Hydra9
C60NGC 4038Antennae GalaxiesInteracting galaxy83,000Corvus10.7
C61NGC 4039Antennae GalaxiesInteracting galaxy83,000Corvus13
C62NGC 247 Spiral Galaxy6,800Cetus8.9
C63NGC 7293Helix NebulaPlanetary Nebula0.522Aquarius7.3
C64NGC 2362Tau Canis Majoris ClusterOpen Cluster and Nebula5.1Canis Major4.1
C65NGC 253Sculptor GalaxySpiral Galaxy9,800Sculptor7.1
C66NGC 5694 Globular Cluster113Hydra10.2
C67NGC 1097 Barred Spiral Galaxy47,000Fornax9.3
C68NGC 6729R CrA NebulaNebula0.424Corona Australis-
C69NGC 6302Bug NebulaPlanetary Nebula5.2Scorpius13
C70NGC 300Sculptor Pinwheel GalaxySpiral Galaxy3,900Sculptor9
C71NGC 2477 Open Cluster3.7Puppis5.8
C72NGC 55String of Pearls GalaxyBarred Spiral Galaxy4,200Sculptor8
C73NGC 1851 Globular Cluster39.4Columba7.3
C74NGC 3132Eight Burst NebulaPlanetary Nebula2Vela8
C75NGC 6124 Open Cluster1.5Scorpius5.8
C76NGC 6231 Open Cluster and Nebula6Scorpius2.6
C77NGC 5128Centaurus AElliptical or Lenticular Galaxy16,000Centaurus7
C78NGC 6541 Globular Cluster22.3Corona Australis6.6
C79NGC 3201 Globular Cluster17Vela6.8
C80NGC 5139Omega CentauriGlobular Cluster17.3Centaurus3.7
C81NGC 6352 Globular Cluster18.6Ara8.2
C82NGC 6193 Open Cluster4.3Ara5.2
C83NGC 4945 Barred Spiral Galaxy17,000Centaurus9
C84NGC 5286 Globular Cluster36Centaurus7.6
C85IC 2391Omicron Velorum ClusterOpen Cluster0.5Vela2.5
C86NGC 6397 Globular Cluster7.5Ara5.7
C87NGC 1261 Globular Cluster55.5Horologium8.4
C88NGC 5823 Open Cluster3.4Circinus7.9
C89NGC 6087[11] S Normae ClusterOpen Cluster3.3Norma5.4
C90NGC 2867 Planetary Nebula5.5Carina10
C91NGC 3532Wishing Well ClusterOpen Cluster1.6Carina3
C92NGC 3372Eta Carinae NebulaNebula7.5Carina3
C93NGC 6752Great Peacock Globular[12] Globular Cluster13Pavo5.4
C94NGC 4755Jewel BoxOpen Cluster4.9Crux4.2
C95NGC 6025 Open Cluster2.5Triangulum Australe5.1
C96NGC 2516Southern Beehive ClusterOpen Cluster1.3Carina3.8
C97NGC 3766Pearl ClusterOpen Cluster5.8Centaurus5.3
C98NGC 4609 Open Cluster4.2Crux6.9
C99-Coalsack NebulaDark Nebula0.61Crux-
C100IC 2944Lambda Centauri NebulaOpen Cluster and Nebula6Centaurus4.5
C101NGC 6744 Spiral Galaxy34,000Pavo9
C102IC 2602Theta Car ClusterOpen Cluster0.492Carina1.9
C103NGC 2070Tarantula NebulaOpen Cluster and Nebula170Dorado8.2
C104NGC 362 Globular Cluster27.7Tucana6.6
C105NGC 4833 Globular Cluster19.6Musca7.4
C106NGC 10447 TucanaeGlobular Cluster14.7Tucana4
C107NGC 6101 Globular Cluster49.9Apus9.3
C108NGC 4372 Globular Cluster18.9Musca7.8
C109NGC 3195 Planetary Nebula5.4Chamaeleon11.6
Caldwell numberNGC numberCommon nameImageObject typeDistance to object in thousands of light yearsConstellationApparent magnitude

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: O'Meara, Stephen James . The Caldwell Objects . . 2002 . 978-0-521-82796-6.
  2. Web site: Caldwell Club Introduction . 2006-09-08.
  3. Moore . Patrick . Beyond Messier: The Caldwell Catalogue . 38 . . December 1995 . 2024-06-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090116131947/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/skyandtelescope/access/887305161.html?dids=887305161&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE&date=Dec+1995&author=Patrick+Moore&desc=Beyond+Messier%3A+The+Caldwell+Catalog . 2009-01-16 .
  4. Book: Mobberley, Martin . The Caldwell Objects and How to Observe Them . 978-1-4419-0325-9 . 2009 . Martin Mobberley . Springer.
  5. Book: Jones, Kenneth Glyn . Messier's Nebulae & Star Clusters . Introduction . 1991 . . 0-521-37079-5 . 1–8.
  6. Web site: An Interesting View of the Caldwell Catalog . Ling . Alister. 2012 . 1995. Night Sky . The Binocular and Telescope Shop . 7 Dec 2023.
  7. Web site: Hubble’s Hidden Galaxy. www.spacetelescope.org. 3 July 2017.
  8. Deep-Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects, 2nd Edition, Stephen James O'Meara, 2016, p.181
  9. Web site: The Rosette Nebula In Hubble Palette.. 2020-06-23. Sky & Telescope. en-US.
  10. "The Night Sky", Astronomy Now, Oct 2008.
  11. C89 was mistakenly written as NGC 6067 in the original, but its description is that of NGC 6087.
  12. Book: Chadwick . S . Cooper . I . Imaging the Southern Sky . Springer . New York . 1461447496 . 242.

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