M36 (NGC 1960)


M36 (NGC 1960) is just north-northeast of gamma Aurigae (beta Tauri), barely in the same binocular field: binoculars.

If you move slightly to the northeast both M36 and M37 are in the same view: binoculars.

Now if you move a bit to the northwest, M38 comes into view with M36: binoculars.

The three clusters M36, M37, and M38 offer interesting comparisons, due to their different ages.
     M36 is the youngest, at about 30 million years old. As a result its stars are bright and luminous; while binoculars show the cluster as a hazy unresolved patch, small telescopes easily resolve the stars.


All files associated with The Constellations Web Page are
© 1999-2000 by Richard Dibon-Smith.