Upper Sword (NGC 1981)
Also known as Upper Sword · NGC 1981
Upper Sword (NGC 1981) is a star cluster with nebula in the constellation Orion, about 1,310 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Star cluster with nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Orion |
| Position (J2000) | 5h 35m 09s, −4° 25′ |
| Distance | 1,310 light-years (its light set off about 1,310 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 4.2 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 9′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Filter | UHC (narrowband) filter (Glowing gas shines in a few colours of hydrogen and oxygen: a UHC filter passes those and blocks most light pollution and sky glow.) |
| Studied in | 101 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Upper Sword (NGC 1981) is highest in the sky at midnight in December. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 66° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 36°. To see it you need the naked eye from a dark site.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Orion
- Barnard's Loop
- De Mairan's Nebula (M43)
- Flame Nebula
- Horsehead Nebula
- M78 (NGC 2068)
- Monkey Head Nebula
- Orion Nebula (M42)
- TXS 0506+056
Everything in Orion · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits