NGC 3532
Encyclopedia
NGC 3532, also known as the Wishing Well Cluster, is an open cluster
in the constellation Carina
. It got the name because through a telescope's eyepiece it appears like dozens of silver coins twinkling at the bottom of a wishing well
.
About 1,321 light years
distant and consisting of approximately 150 stars of 7th magnitude
& fainter, NCG 3532 was the first target ever observed by the Hubble Space Telescope
on May 20, 1990. Mimosa (Beta Crucis
) & Delcrux (Delta Crucis) in the Southern Cross roughly point to NCG 3532 and it lies between the Southern Cross constellation and larger but fainter “False Cross” asterism
with X Carinae the nearest star right next to the cluster but not a member and Eta Carinae & its famous nebula not too far away along with a bunch of other nearby deep sky objects. (3372, 3293 & I.2581.)
Open cluster
An open cluster is a group of up to a few thousand stars that were formed from the same giant molecular cloud and have roughly the same age. More than 1,100 open clusters have been discovered within the Milky Way Galaxy, and many more are thought to exist...
in the constellation Carina
Carina (constellation)
Carina is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three.-Stars:...
. It got the name because through a telescope's eyepiece it appears like dozens of silver coins twinkling at the bottom of a wishing well
Wishing well
A wishing well is a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea that a wish would be granted came from the idea that water housed deities or had been placed there as a gift from the gods, since water was a source of life and...
.
About 1,321 light years
Light Years
Light Years is the seventh studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 25 September 2000 by Parlophone and Mushroom Records. The album's style was indicative of her return to "mainstream pop dance tunes"....
distant and consisting of approximately 150 stars of 7th magnitude
Magnitude (astronomy)
Magnitude is the logarithmic measure of the brightness of an object, in astronomy, measured in a specific wavelength or passband, usually in optical or near-infrared wavelengths.-Background:...
& fainter, NCG 3532 was the first target ever observed by the Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
on May 20, 1990. Mimosa (Beta Crucis
Beta Crucis
Mimosa or Becrux is the second brightest star in the constellation Crux and is one of the brightest stars in the night sky....
) & Delcrux (Delta Crucis) in the Southern Cross roughly point to NCG 3532 and it lies between the Southern Cross constellation and larger but fainter “False Cross” asterism
Asterism (astronomy)
In astronomy, an asterism is a pattern of stars recognized on Earth's night sky. It may form part of an official constellation, or be composed of stars from more than one. Like constellations, asterisms are in most cases composed of stars which, while they are visible in the same general direction,...
with X Carinae the nearest star right next to the cluster but not a member and Eta Carinae & its famous nebula not too far away along with a bunch of other nearby deep sky objects. (3372, 3293 & I.2581.)