Observations of The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC)

Lindsay 40

L40 is a large open cluster about 4 arc minutes across positions 20 arc minutes north of NGC 290.

The cluster is primarily made up from 15-16th magnitude star, with a scattering of 13-14th, magnitude stars thrown in. The brightest star on the northern edge is 12.8 magnitude. The cluster is predominantly square shaped due to the distribution of the brighter stars. An absence of the stars in the centre of the cluster makes it look like there is a dark nebula there. The northern edge of the cluster is the brightest and appears sharply defined otherwise the cluster is not as well detached from the background sky. The large size and low surface brightness will make this cluster a challenge with a 10" telescope. No nebulosity is associated with this cluster at all, in fact it became invisible when observed with a filter.