NGC 256 (ESO 29-SC11) is an open cluster in the Tucana constellation. It is an astronomical object designation from the New General Catalog (NGC). The NGC is a collection of deep-sky objects like galaxies, star clusters, and nebulae. For identification purposes, each object in the catalog is issued a unique number. On April 11, 1834, John Frederick William Herschel discovered it.
NGC 256 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces. Its coordinates are right ascension 00h 47m 24.1s and declination +04° 24′ 52″. This galaxy is quite distant from our Milky Way galaxy, and it is not one of the most famous or notable objects in the NGC catalog. Open star clusters are groups of stars that formed from the same chemical cloud and are held together by gravity. These clusters are quite young in cosmic terms, making them great candidates for research into stellar evolution and star cluster dynamics.
Here are some basic details about NGC 256:
- Location: It is situated in the southern sky, specifically in the Tucana constellation. Tucana is a small and faint constellation in the southern hemisphere, and it is part of the larger region of the Milky Way.
- Characteristics: It is a relatively small and faint open cluster. It consists of a group of stars that are gravitationally bound together. Open clusters like NGC 256 are typically composed of younger stars, which makes them interesting for studying stellar evolution.
- Visual Observation: To observe NGC 256, you would typically need a telescope, preferably one with moderate magnification capabilities. It may not be visible to the naked eye due to its faintness.
- Coordinates: The celestial coordinates (right ascension and declination) for NGC 256 are typically provided in astronomical catalogs for locating it in the sky precisely.
Astronomers and amateur astronomers use catalogs like the NGC to locate and study celestial objects in the night sky. The NGC catalog was first compiled by astronomer John Dreyer in the late 19th century and has since been expanded and updated by subsequent generations of astronomers.
