WWW.ASTRONOMY.COM 55lie within the constellation. Xi
(ξ) Orionis, in the Hunter’s
raised right arm, is a good
starting point in your search
for NGC 2169. This is a small,
bright cluster made up of 30
stars from 8th to 12th magni-
tude. Although the cluster itself
is weakly structured, the sur-
rounding Milky Way fields
offer some spectacular views.
Near the stellar pair 73 and
74 Or ion is is NGC 2194. My
notes recall a round, compact
open cluster with many faint
stars. Official counts place their
number at 80, all clumped
tightly into 8'. In many
respects, it reminds me of a
poorer M11, summer’s Wild
Duck Cluster in Scutum. But at
magnitude 10, NGC 2194 is
much fainter. Even though it is
greatly overshadowed by so
many famous objects in the
winter sky, NGC 2194 is among
the finest open clusters of the
season. Take the time to find it.
The Hunter is well known
for nebulae and star clusters.
But would you believe the New
General Catalog lists 21 galax-
ies in Orion, and the Index
Catalog adds another nine?
That’s a pretty respectable tally.
Of those, the most intrigu-
ing is NGC 1924. Why?
Location, location, location.
NGC 1924 lies less than 2° west
of the Orion Nebula, yet very
few observers have seen it.
NGC 1924 is a barred spiral
galaxy similar to our own
Milky Way. Finding it is easy
enough by starting at M42 and
scanning due west. Some 1½°
into your scan, you will come
to a diagonal line of three 8th-
magnitude field stars oriented
northwest to southeast. NGC
1924 lies along that line, like a
distant galactic steppingstone
equally spaced between two of
those Milky Way suns. My
8-inch shows it as a faint (mag-
nitude 12.5), oval disk accented
by a stellar nucleus.
There you have it — the best
deep-sky objects in what many
call the most recognizable con-
stellation in the sky.
Above: Reflection nebula M78
makes a beautiful sight in
moderate to large backyard
telescopes. TONY HALLAS
Right: The lovely planetary
nebula NGC 2022 is a rarely
observed gem in Orion,
offering a blue-green disk
that stands up to high powers.
ADAM BLOCK/NOAO/AURA/NSFPhil Harrington is an experienced
observer, author of many books on
astronomy, and contributing editor
of Astronomy.