When to photograph NGC 5823
NGC 5823 is an open cluster in Circinus, 4′ across at magnitude 7.9. Also listed as C 88.
When to photograph it
From 45° N it never rises.
From 35° S the best months are April to June, with up to 10.8 hours of astronomical darkness above 30° in May. It reaches 69° at its highest. It never sets from this latitude, so some imaging is possible all year.
Framing
At 4′ it is small. Even 4000 mm of focal length leaves it filling less than a third of an APS-C frame, so it suits long focal lengths, small pixels and good seeing.
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 5823's altitude through tonight, its transit time and its distance from the moon. For sub length, use the exposure calculator.
Nearby targets
- NGC 6025 9.0° away
- NGC 6087 S Nor Cluster 10.3° away
- NGC 5286 12.4° away
- NGC 6188 Fighting Dragons of Ara 16.0° away
- NGC 6193 16.1° away
- NGC 5139 Omega Centauri 17.2° away
Gear that suits NGC 5823
NGC 5823 is only 3.9′ across, so it stays small in any amateur telescope. The longest focal length gives it the most pixels.
- Celestron C8 OTA 2032 mm f/10: fills 15% of an APS-C frame's short side View at High Point Scientific
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