Messier 35 (M 35)

Introduction | Map | Sketch | My Best Own Photos | My Own Observations | My Own Photos | References || Appendix: My Own Photos

On this page I collect my observations of the open star cluster M 35 (NGC 2168) in the constellation Gemini/Twins. The open star cluster NGC 2158 is close to M 35; the open star clusters IC 2156 and IC 2157 are a little farther away.

Introduction

I did not know the Gemini/Twins constellation for a long time, but a friend pointed me to Castor and Pollux, a pair of stars, which can be easily found at the nightly sky. The older form of the Gemini constellation reminds me of a jug lying on its side. I can therefore remember this and use it as an aid for finding the open star cluster M 35, which is supposed to be visible even to the naked eye. M 35 is, however, located on opposite (open) side of the jug (on the right) above the last star of the constellation (which somewhat "turns upwards" = the "spout"). Read more on how to find the cluster below.

M 35 is said to be the open star cluster with the most stars in winter. The open star cluster NGC 2158 is at a distance of 0.4° and can be seen together with M 35 in rich-field telescopes. The open star clusters IC 2156 and IC 2157 can be seen in Vespera as a mosaic together with the other two open star clusters.

M 35 (NGC 2168)		NGC 2158		IC 2156		IC 2157
Size: 28' (Stoyan) - about the size of the moon Distance: 2,600 Light years (Stoyan) Rating: **** (Stoyan)		Size: 5' (Wikipedia) Distance: 16,200 Light years (Wikipedia) Rating: ---		Size: 4' (SkySafari) Distance: 6,800 Light years (SkySafari) Rating: ---		Size: 5' (SkySafari) Distance: 6,700 Light years (SkySafari) Rating: ---

Map

M 35 at the upper right edge of constellation Gemini/Twins (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

May 2017: M 35 above the right upper end of constellation Gemini/Twins. At this time of the year, it was turned to the right for nearly 90 Grad, so that M 35 was located at the bottom right of the constellation. (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

Sketch

The sketch by Michael Vlasov (DeepSkyWatch.com) provides a rough impression of what I observed (my impression was much fainter than the sketch):

My Best Own Photos

Atik Infinity & Explorer 150PDS (February 12 and 21, 2018)


M 35 (Gemini), post-processed and sharpened (Feb 12, 2018)		Ditto, post-processed and sharpened (Feb 21, 2018)

Atik Infinity & TLAPO1027 (March 24, 2021)


M 35 (Gemini) (Mar 24, 2021)		M 35 (Gemini) (Mar 24, 2021)

Ditto, photo on top post-processed (Mar 24, 2021)		Ditto, photo on top post-processed (Mar 24, 2021)

Atik Infinity & PS 72/432 (February 23, 2022)

M 35 and NGC 2158 - Feb 23, 2022, unprocessed

Sony RX10 M4 (February 12, 2021)


M 35 with Sony RX10 M4, ISO 6400		M 35 with Sony RX10 M4, ISO 6400, processed

M 35 with Sony RX10 M4, ISO 6400, processed, section		M 35 with Sony RX10 M4, 13 photos stacked in Affinity Photo (average), processed, section

M 35 with Sony RX10 M4, ISO, 13 photos stacked in Affinity Photo (average)		M 35 with Sony RX10 M4, 13 photos stacked in Affinity Photo (average), processed

Photo data: M mode with 1 s and f/4, 600 mm, ISO 6400, long-time noise suppression off, manual focus

eVscope


M 35 - Nov 17, 2020		M 35 - Nov 17, 2020, photo left processed

Vespera


M 35 with NGC 2158, IC 2156, and IC 2157, Feb 8, 2023 - original, 1700s		Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net (photo left, unprocessed)

M 35 with NGC 2158, IC 2156 and IC 2157, Mar 25, 2024 - original, mosaic, 1750s		M 35 with NGC 2158, IC 2156 and IC 2157, Mar 25, 2024 - large, photo left processed

Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net (photo above, unprocessed)

My Own Observations

Observations February 2017

February 13, 2017 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Heritage 100P, LT binoculars): Despite many efforts with the 100P and binoculars, I was not sure about whether I had indeed found M 35. There was something glimmering in the area, but that could also have been a part of the Milky Way, which is in that region. Perhaps, I had also searched for M 35 at the wrong location...
February 14, 2017 (ditto: GSO GSD 680, LT binoculars): With the 8" Dobsonian, however, I found M 35. The open star cluster looked very nice and showed many stars (it is said to be the open star cluster with the most stars in winter).
February 15, 2017: (ditto: Heritage 100P on GoTo mount, LT binoculars): I was, of course, able to access the star cluster M 35 directly and found it. At the beginning, M 35 was hardly visible, because the sky was too bright. But later, when it was darker, the cluster was beautiful, too, and showed lots of stars in this smaller telescope even with a 7 mm eyepiece.
February 18, 2017 (ditto: GSO GSD 680): In the GSD 680 telescope, M 35 appeared again rich of stars and beautiful.
February 26, 2017: (ditto: Heritage P130 on GoTo mount): The sight of M 35 with the P130 was very nice as well (new moon).
March 16, 2017: (ditto): M 35 observed once again

Observations End of March 2017

March 29, 2017 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Heritage P130 on GoTo mount): Found M 35, nice! Visited M 35 later again and again, nearly a "standard" for me...

Observations April/May 2017

April 29, 2017 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Explorer 150PDS on GoTo mount): M 35 beautiful, but located far in the West and fairly low at the horizon.
May 9, 2017 (ditto): M 35 located far in the West and fairly low at the horizon and therefore, it got more and more difficult to observe.
May 12, 2017 (ditto): M 35 not found, sky too bright or cloudy.

Observations December 2017 - April 2018

December 12, 2017 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: LT and TS binoculars): M 35 seen only faintly as a shimmering spot
January 10, 2018 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: TS binoculars): M 35 seen with binoculars as a shimmering spot
January 14, 2018 (ditto): M 35 seen with binoculars as a shimmering spot, this time a little bit larger and better...
February 4-5, 2018 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: TS, Skymax-102, Skymax-127): M 35 seen well on Feb 5 with binoculars as a shimmering spot, on Feb 4 fainter; also well seen with my both Maksutov tubes
February 12, 2018 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Explorer 150PDS on GoTo mount with Atik Infinity, StarSense): M 35 for the first time photographed
February 13, 2018 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: TS): M 35 seen well with binoculars as a shimmering spot
February 21, 2018 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Explorer 150PDS on GoTo mount with Atik Infinity, StarSense): M 35 photographed once more
March 18-19, 2018 (Kellinghusen and Erkerode, TS binoculars): M 35 observed with binoculars, seen nicely.
April 6, 2018 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Explorer 150PDS on GoTo-Mount with Atik Infinity, StarSense): M 35 photographed, but missed...

Observations February 2019 ff

February 26, 2019 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: PS 72/432 on AZ Pronto Mount, TS binoculars): Many fine stars in PS 72/432, I was not quite sure whether it was really M 35... M 35 appeared as a faint glow in the TS binoculars.
February 27, 2019 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: PS 72/432 on AZ Pronto Mount, TS binoculars): M 35 appeared as many fine stars in PS 72/432 and as a faint glow in the TS binoculars.
April 28, 2019 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: PS 72/432 on GoTo mount): M 35 was very faint and fine with 10 mm (nice star points!) and other focal lengths.
May 1, 2019 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Explorer 150PDS on GoTo mount): M 35 was faint and fine, but better than in the PS 72/432.

Observations October - December 2019

October 12, 2019 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: StarTravel 120/600 and PS 72/432 on AZ Pronto Mount, TS and LT binoculars): M 35 observed with 35 mm ED and borrowed 32 mm eyepieces, faint. Confirmed with the binoculars.
December 19, 2019 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C8 on AZ4 Mount):M 35 seen beautifully and large with 40 mm!

Observations End of December 2019 to January 2020

December 28, 2019 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C8 on AZ4 mount, Skymax-127 on AZ Pronto mount): M 35 was nice in the C8/AZ4 (40 mm); the SM127 had already dew so that I could see not anything.
December 30, 2019 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C8 on Star Discovery mount (manually), Explorer 150PDS on AZ4 mount): M 35 was very nice in both telescopes, but in the C8 it was much more contrasty than in the 150PDS.
January 5, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Explorer 150PDS on AZ4 mount): Searched for M 35 at the end of my observations, hard to find. Very beautiful in 10 mm eyepiece!
January 16, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C8 on Star Discovery mount (SynScan WLAN, iPhone)): M 35 large - almost too large (with and without reducer/corrector)
January 18, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C8 on AZ4 mount): M 35 seen nicely, large, star chains (40 mm)
January 28, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 35 photographed
January 29, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C8 on AZ4 mount): M 35 seen very nicely

Observations February to April 2020

February 15-16, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 35 photographed
March 13, 18, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 35 photographed
April 11, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 35 photographed

Observations November 2020

November 17, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 35 photographed in the new rectangular format without overlay

Observations January to March 2021

January 10, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C5 on AZ Pronto, Skymax-127 on AZ Pronto and Star Discovery): M 35 with nice bent star chain
February 12, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: RX10 M4 on AZ-GTi, Atik Infinity ): M 35 photographed with RX10 M4 (1s) and stacked with Affinity photo; quite nice as a section...
February 13, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C5 on AZ-GTi, Atik Infinity ): M 35 far too faint
March 24, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: TLAPO1027 on Star Discovery, Atik Infinity ): M 35 far too faint

Observations February to April 2022

February 23, 2022 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: AI+SM+PS72): M 35 photographed together with NGC 2158
March 20, 2022 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope2): M 35 photographed (app version 1.5)
April 10, 2022 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope2): M 35 photographed (app version 1.5)

Observations February 2023

February 8, 2023 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Vespera): M 35 photographed together with NGC 2158, IC 2156, and IC 2157 (1700s)

Observations March 2024

March 25, 2024 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Vespera): M 35 photographed together with NGC 2158, IC 2156, and IC 2157 (1750s)

References

Messier Catalogue - Messier 35: messier.seds.org/m/m035.html
Messier 35 (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_35
NGC 2158 (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_2158
NGC 2157 (Wikipedia): de.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_2157 (in German)
NGC 2156 (Wikipedia): de.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_2156 (in German)

Websites

Drawings of Messier Deep Sky Objects (Michael Vlasov, DeepSkyWatch.com): www.deepskywatch.com/messier-dso-sketches.html
Drawings of NGC, IC and Other Objects (Michael Vlasov, DeepSkyWatch.com): www.deepskywatch.com/ngc-ic-dso-sketches.html
Astroimages.de (Siggi Kohlert) - Messier 35: www.astroimages.de/de/gallery/M35.html

On this Site

Appendix: My Own Photos