🌟 It Looks Like an Owl—or an ET!
This cluster’s bright “eyes” and spread “wings” give it a shape that resembles an owl, ET, or even a stick figure—making it a whimsical and fun object for all ages.

🌟 Bright and Easy to See
At around magnitude 6.4, the Owl Cluster is visible in binoculars and looks striking in small and medium telescopes, especially under dark skies.

🌟 Packed with Stars
With about 80+ stars, including two prominent “eye” stars (Phi Cassiopeiae and HD 7902), NGC 457 offers a rich and sparkling field in any decent scope.

🌟 Easy to Find in Cassiopeia
Located just south of the Cassiopeia “W”, it’s easy to hop to using Ruchbah (Delta Cassiopeiae) as a reference point—perfect for fall and winter stargazing.

🌟 A Great Target for Beginners and Outreach
Its bright stars, recognizable shape, and mythological name make the Owl Cluster a crowd favorite at star parties and a great way to introduce people to open clusters.

Find the constellation Cassiopeia and the two end stars Segin (+3.34) and Ruchbah (+2.68).

Hop two times, first from the Segin to Ruchbah, and then to the Owl Cluster which may appear starlike in dark skies. If you can't see it, simply estimate its position.

Using a binocular, telescope finder, low-powered telescope eyepiece, find the Owl Cluster. Increase power to confirm and explore.

✅ Locate Cassiopeia and find Phi Cassiopeiae.
The Owl Cluster lies just southeast of the bright star Phi Cassiopeiae, which marks the “eye” region of the cluster. Cassiopeia’s W shape is prominent in autumn and winter skies and makes for easy star-hopping.

✅ Use binoculars or a finder scope to identify the area.
In binoculars, the cluster appears as a small, bright grouping of stars near Phi Cas. This helps confirm you’re in the right spot before switching to a telescope.

✅ Start with low magnification to frame the whole cluster.
At 30x to 60x, you can easily see the full owl shape, including the two bright “eye” stars and the curved wing-like arrangement of fainter stars around them.

✅ Use a small or medium telescope for the best view.
A 3- to 6-inch telescope is ideal for NGC 457, as it provides enough light-gathering power to make the shape pop while maintaining a wide enough field to see the whole figure.

✅ Take your time to explore the details.
The longer you look, the more stars you’ll notice outlining the “wings,” “arms,” and even the “feet” of the figure. Some observers see it as an owl, others as a small alien, which adds to the fun.

✅ Share it with others—it’s a crowd-pleaser.
Because of its recognizable shape and bright “eyes,” the Owl Cluster is a fantastic object to show family, friends, or guests at a public stargazing event.

❌ Naked Eye
The Owl Cluster, or NGC 457, is not visible to the naked eye under most conditions, though from very dark skies it may appear as a faint, star-like point within the Milky Way in Cassiopeia.

✅ Binoculars
Through binoculars, it begins to show as a small, scattered group of stars, with two bright stars—one of which forms one of the “eyes”—standing out noticeably from the surrounding field.

✅ Small Telescope
In a small telescope, the full charm of the Owl Cluster emerges: a tight grouping of stars shaped like a stick figure or an owl with outstretched wings, with the two “eyes” forming the head and the fainter stars outlining the body and arms.

✅ Medium Telescope
A medium telescope brings more stars into view, sharpening the shape and enhancing the contrast between the bright and faint members, making the owl shape even more distinct and lifelike.

✅ Large Telescope
In a large telescope, the cluster is rich with stars spread across the field, and the overall shape remains clear, though the increased star density may begin to blur the outline slightly; still, the two bright “eyes” anchor the figure unmistakably, making it a whimsical and rewarding open cluster at any aperture.

🟣 In Bortle 1–2 skies, the Owl Cluster is vivid, delightful, and unmistakable. The two bright “eyes” (one of which is a foreground star) shine clearly, and the fainter stars outlining the wings and body fill out the shape, giving the impression of a celestial creature soaring through a richly textured background. The field around the cluster is dense with faint stars, enhancing the owl’s form and making it feel alive and dynamic. Its contrast against the dark sky makes the full shape easy to trace and appreciate.

🔵 In Bortle 3–4 skies, the cluster remains well defined. The “eyes” are still prominent, and most of the wing and body stars are visible, though the background begins to fade slightly. The owl shape is still traceable, but it appears slightly more detached from its surroundings. The scene retains charm and clarity, though it loses a bit of the immersive depth found in darker skies.

🟢 In Bortle 5–6 skies, the Owl Cluster becomes flatter and less detailed. The bright stars are still visible and form the “face,” but many of the fainter wing and body stars blend into the sky or disappear. The owl shape becomes more abstract, and the cluster feels more like a sparse pattern than a distinct figure. The background skyglow dulls the surrounding field, reducing the contrast and making the object feel more isolated.

🟡 In Bortle 7+ skies, the Owl Cluster is still detectable due to its bright central stars, but its defining shape is nearly lost. The “eyes” remain as a pair of bright points, but the rest of the cluster appears faint or broken, and the sky is too bright to distinguish the fuller outline. The surrounding stars fade, leaving the owl fragmented and disconnected from its characteristic form.