| NGC 1981 | |
|---|---|
 NGC 1981 is the sparse scattering of bright stars without nebulosity at the top (north) of this image of theOrion Nebula region Credit: David St. Louis | |
| Observation data (J2000.0epoch) | |
| Right ascension | 05h 35m 09.6s[1] |
| Declination | −04° 25′ 30″[1] |
| Distance | 1,300[2] (400[2]) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.2[3] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 28.00[4] |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Other designations | OCL 525, Collinder 73[5] |
| Associations | |
| Constellation | Orion |
| See also:Open cluster,List of open clusters | |
NGC 1981 (also known asOCL 525) is anopen cluster which is located in the constellationOrion. It was discovered byJohn Herschel on 4 January 1827. Its apparent magnitude is 4.2[3] and its size is 28.00arc minutes. It lies to the north of theOrion Nebula, separated from it by theSh2-279 region containing NGC 1973, 1975, and 1977.
Some say it looks like an alligator or crocodile, with its eastern star as the snout, its western star as its tail and the two groups of three stars in the middle of it as its two set of legs.[6]
Media related toNGC 1981 at Wikimedia Commons| Stars |
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