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Thread: Help identify star cluster?

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    Senior Member osci's Avatar
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    Default Help identify star cluster?

    Hi all

    I'm in Geelong in southern Victoria, for the past 3 nights I've been observing a star cluster that is in the shape of an almost perfect upside down Isosceles Triangle, I've been observing this star cluster from early evening when its where it is located directly above y position then as the night progresses, it gets lower and lower to the western horizon where I can't see it anymore because of trees down the backyard of my place.

    Believe or not I'm fairly familiar with the star constellations, I can easily pick out Orion's belt, the southern cross, the big dipper ect, but for the life of me I can't recall seeing this particular cluster previously?

    As I say the 3 stars are formed in the shape of an almost perfect Isosceles triangle, its location is due west of my position in Geelong, when I located it last night 06/08/12 it was approx 80 - 85 degrees above the horizon which placed it almost directly above my location, later in the evening the cluster can be located looking to the north west of the southern cross, the 3 stars are of a bright magnitude, ( just reading the scale for determining star magnitude) I would say at least 1 probably even more?

    any info on this anyone?
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    I use star walk app on iPhone.
    There are other better ones, both apple and android have them.

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    the Mayans will have a name for it

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    It may be Mars, Saturn and the star Spica and that would explain why you have not seen it before, the planets wander. Try

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    Quote Originally Posted by ssrattus View Post
    It may be Mars, Saturn and the star Spica and that would explain why you have not seen it before, the planets wander. Try
    thanks mate, Ye! as I said in the first post the star cluster looks like an upside down Isosceles triangle with the bottom point indeed looking like it could be mars? simply because of the appearance of a red colour?

    Thanks for the link I'll hae a good look at that tonight from home and see what I can work out
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    Senior Member osci's Avatar
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    You are right SSratus!!!! I was talking to a colleague who is an avid skywatcher.

    the star cluster is the planets Mars, Saturn & the star Spica.....
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    LSemmens
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    Maybe you were watching Curiosity on final approach...........sorry, couldn't resist.

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