When to photograph NGC 3532 (Wishing Well Cluster)
NGC 3532, the Wishing Well Cluster, is an open cluster in Carina, 12′ across at magnitude 3. Also listed as C 91.
When to photograph it
From 45° N it never rises.
From 35° S the best months are February to April, with up to 8.8 hours of astronomical darkness above 30° in March. It reaches 66° at its highest. It never sets from this latitude, so some imaging is possible all year.
Framing
Its long axis is 12′. It fills 35 to 80% of the short side of an APS-C sensor at about 1560 to 3580 mm, and of a full-frame sensor at about 2410 to 5500 mm.
Filters and the moon
Clusters are broadband targets, but bright ones tolerate some moonlight and light pollution. Short subs keep the brightest stars from clipping. The dark sky calendar shows which nights this month are moon-free where you are.
Plan it for tonight
Dates and times depend on your exact location. The imaging planner shows NGC 3532's altitude through tonight, its transit time and its distance from the moon. For sub length, use the exposure calculator.
Nearby targets
- NGC 3576 Statue of Liberty Nebula 2.7° away
- NGC 3372 Carina Nebula 2.9° away
- NGC 3766 Pearl Cluster 4.7° away
- IC 2944 Running Chicken Nebula 5.6° away
- IC 2602 Southern Pleiades 6.2° away
- C 99 Coalsack Nebula 11.3° away
Gear that suits NGC 3532
NGC 3532 is 12′ along its long axis. These frame it on an APS-C sensor with room to crop.
- Celestron C8 OTA 2032 mm f/10: fills 45% of an APS-C frame's short side View at High Point Scientific
- Celestron EdgeHD 8 OTA 2032 mm f/10: fills 45% of an APS-C frame's short side View at High Point Scientific
Retailer links are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details