BEAUTY: 
BRAGGING RIGHTS: A beautiful sight
HOW EASY IS IT TO SEE? Best with small telescope
BEST TIME TO SEE IT: Fall (in Cassiopeia)
TYPE: Open Cluster DISCOVERED: 1787 by William Herschel
Best cluster in Cassiopeia? Caldwell 13 is sometimes overshadowed by nearby M103, but not for any logical reason: Caldwell 13 is both brighter and more interesting than its Messier rival. (It seems brand names count even in amateur astronomy.) Look for this cluster a couple of degrees south-southwest of Delta Cassiopeiae (see chart). Through binoculars it may look like a wisp of light around a relatively bright star. Ironically, it looks more like a comet than M103. (Messier compiled his original list of objects to avoid comet look-alikes, but he somehow missed this one.) At higher magnifications—maybe 75×—you’ll resolve many of the stars in the cluster and perhaps start to see shapes. Do you see a stick figure? An airplane? Or maybe E.T.? All have been frequently reported by amateurs. What do you see?
