top of page
Search

Klingon Battlecruiser Cluster

Updated: Feb 24


About this object


NGC 1662, discovered by the renowned astronomer William Herschel in 1784, is an open star cluster about 1,500 light-years away in the constellation Orion that holds historical significance due to its inclusion in Herschel's groundbreaking star catalog (Part II). This catalog contributed significantly to the study of stellar groupings and the understanding of the Milky Way's structure during the late 18th century. Its relatively small size and faint stars make it a less prominent cluster compared to others in Orion, but its unique shape and composition have drawn attention from amateur astronomers, often naming it the "Klingon Battlecruiser".


NGC 1662’s age, estimated to be between 200 and 800 million years (there's no consensus), marks it as an older open cluster compared to many others, which are often younger than 100 million years. Its advanced age is primarily due to its formation earlier in the galaxy's history, when the molecular cloud that birthed it collapsed under gravity. Over time, most open clusters disperse as their stars drift apart due to gravitational interactions with other celestial bodies and the influence of the Milky Way's tidal forces. The fact that NGC 1662 has survived for so long suggests it formed in a relatively stable region of the galaxy and had sufficient initial mass to resist dispersion for hundreds of millions of years, though it is likely in the later stages of its life as a cluster.


Designations


Standardized Catalogues

Collinder 55


PMC Observatory Catalogue


Observations


  1. 2024-12-21 at around 01:00 am (+00:00)

  2. 2025-01-09 at around 11:00 pm (+00:00)

  3. 2025-02-22 at around 08:30 pm (+00:00)


Location in the sky


Next to Pi 1 Orionis.



Photographs

The Klingon Battlecruiser.
The Klingon Battlecruiser.

Sketch


Below is a detailed sketch of the main stars of the Klingon Battlecruiser Cluster.

NGC 1662 is an open star cluster located in the constellation Orion, approximately 1,425 light-years from Earth. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.4 and spans about 20 arc-minutes in the sky. Recent studies suggest that NGC 1662 is approximately 400 million years old. The cluster contains around 100 stars, predominantly of spectral types F and G, which are similar to our Sun, although only about 20 are easily visible in a light-polluted area. These stars are in the later stages of their evolution, with many having evolved into red giants. HD 30484 is a double star.
NGC 1662 is an open star cluster located in the constellation Orion, approximately 1,425 light-years from Earth. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.4 and spans about 20 arc-minutes in the sky. Recent studies suggest that NGC 1662 is approximately 400 million years old. The cluster contains around 100 stars, predominantly of spectral types F and G, which are similar to our Sun, although only about 20 are easily visible in a light-polluted area. These stars are in the later stages of their evolution, with many having evolved into red giants. HD 30484 is a double star.

bottom of page