NGC 2239

NGC 2239 = N2244 = Cr 99 = Mel 47 = OCL-515 = Ced 76b
06 31 55 +04 56.6

See observing notes for N2244.

Listed by JH (h392) under the synonym VII 2 = N2244.  Catalogued in Lynga as 
OCL-512 although h's description "the place of a *8 in most compressed part of a 
large, poor but brilliant cl." describes N2244 (central cluster in the center of 
the Rosette) with a 1.0 tmin error in RA.  Although h originally made the 
equivalence with N2244, he listed N2239 separately (probably because of the 1 
tmin difference in RA) in GC. The identification with N2244 was noticed by 
Alister Ling.  Reinmuth puts both together as "NGC 2239 and 2244 B Cl, pL, P, 
sc, B st in eeL dif neb".

- by Steve Gottlieb

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NGC 2244 = Cr 99 = Mel 47 = OCL-515 = Ced 76b = N2239
06 31 55 +04 56.6
V = 4.8;  Size 24

17.5" (2/11/96): unusually bright, large cluster of ~15'x5' elongated NW-SE in a 
rectangular outline and situated in the heart of the Rosette Nebula!  The 
brightest 8 mag 6/7 stars lie along the sides and vertices of the rectangle with 
the brightest member, yellowish 12 Mon (V = 5.9), residing at the SE vertex.  
There are ~40 stars within the cluster although the only concentration is 15 mag 
11/12 stars surrounding mag 6.8 SAO 114010 (W of center) and trailing to the E 
towards the wide bright pair of mag 8 stars E of center (one of these stars is a 
close double).

8": bright, large cluster in the center of the Rosette Nebula.  The six 
brightest stars form a rectangular outline with the brightest star 12 
Monocerotis (V = 5.9) at the SE corner.  At the N and NW corners of the 
rectangle are two bright wide pairs with mag 7/8 stars.  Many faint stars are 
near the center surrounding the wide pairs.  Faint naked-eye cluster in dark 
sky.

- by Steve Gottlieb

NGC 2239 = NGC 2244, the bright young cluster in the center of the HII region 
called the Rosette (see the discussion under NGC 2237), was found by WH.  JH 
recovered it 30 years later during his northern sweeps from Slough, though he 
made an error of 1 minute of time in the position.  Neither noticed the 
nebulosity around the cluster; that remained for Marth, Swift, and Barnard to 
bring to our attention. - Dr. Harold G. Corwin, Jr.

As with all corrections to the NGC and IC Catalogues, there is a certain margin
for error, even though the evidence supporting the correction may be strong and
compelling. It is with this in mind that we ask the user to use this information
as 'Most Probable', but never to assume the correction is 'Absolute'.  All
published corrections are based on an exhaustive 'paper chase' of the historical
record back to the original discoverer's published notes/papers, and are
therefore based upon the historical accuracy (or inaccuracy) of those particular
notes/papers. In short, Caveat Emptor! - Robert E. Erdmann, Jr.