NGC 1981 is well placed

The open star cluster NGC 1981 in Orion’s sword will be well placed for observation. It will reach its highest point in the sky at around midnight local time.

At a declination of -04°25', it is visible across much of the world; it can be seen at latitudes between 65°N and 74°S.

From London, it will be visible between 20:27 and 03:32. It will become accessible at around 20:27, when it rises 18° above your south-eastern horizon, and then reach its highest point in the sky at 23:58, 34° above your southern horizon. It will become inaccessible at around 03:32 when it sinks to 18° above your south-western horizon.

At magnitude 4.2, NGC1981 is tricky to make out with the naked eye except from a dark site, but is visible through a pair of binoculars or small telescope.

The position of NGC1981 is as follows:

The coordinates above are given in J2000.0.

This entry in the observing calendar was provided by In-The-Sky.org

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