The loose open cluster NGC 7243 makes it worth learning the location of Lacerta the Lizard, now visible in the evening sky.
Open cluster NGC 7243 is an easy-to-spot grouping in Lacerta the Lizard. Credit: Egres73/Wikimedia Commons
- Lacerta is a faint constellation located near Cygnus and Cepheus.
- NGC 7243, an open star cluster, is easily found near Lacerta’s brightest star.
- NGC 7243 is visible with binoculars and appears as a fuzzy patch of light.
- NGC 7243 is a relatively young star cluster, approximately 100 million years old.
Can you find Lacerta the Lizard? This small, dim constellation is visible in the northeast after sunset, sitting below the flying form of Cygnus and to the lower right of house-shaped Cepheus.
Lacerta’s alpha star shines at magnitude 3.8; you can find it about 19° east of bright Deneb in Cygnus. This luminary may seem unimpressive, but it’s a great jumping-off point to reach open cluster NGC 7243, also cataloged as Caldwell 16. The cluster lies just 2.6° west of Alpha Lac.
Visible to the naked eye as a dim, fuzzy patch of light, NGC 7243 shines at magnitude 6.4 and has a diameter of 15’ on the sky. It’s a great binocular target for beginners. The cluster’s brightest star, shining at 8th magnitude, lies in the center, presenting a picturesque view once you’ve added some magnification. A small telescope will show nearly 40 stars, while larger scopes will continue adding suns to that count.
NGC 7243 is a relatively young cluster, as astronomers estimate it is about 100 million years old.
Sunrise: 5:50 A.M.
Sunset: 8:23 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:59 A.M.
Moonset: 7:13 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (6%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column.
