NGC 559

NGC 559 (also known as Caldwell 8) is an open cluster and Caldwell object in the constellation Cassiopeia. It shines at magnitude +9.5. Its celestial coordinates are RA 01^h 29.5^m , dec +63° 18′. It is located near the open cluster NGC 637, and the bright magnitude +2.2 irregular variable star Gamma Cassiopeiae. The cluster is 7 arcmins across.^[2]

NGC 559
PanSTARRS image of NGC 559
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension	01h 29m 31.20s[1]
Declination	+63° 18′ 07.2″[1]
Distance	7200 ly (2200 pc[1])
Apparent magnitude (V)	+9.5
Apparent dimensions (V)	7.0′[2]
Physical characteristics
Other designations	Caldwell 8, Cr 13
Associations
Constellation	Cassiopeia
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

The object is also called Ghost's Goblet. This name was coined by astronomer Stephen J. O'Meara, as the center of the star cluster, with a little imagination, is reminiscent of a still photograph of a jeweled goblet that is about to vanish in a ghostly manner. O'Meara attributes the impression of fading to the low brightness (about +12) of many stars in the center as well as to the great age of the star cluster, which is about 1.8 billion years old.^[3]

Map showing the location of NGC 559