NGC 7380 is a young
open cluster of stars in the northern [url=mw-redirect=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumpolar_constellation]circumpolar constellation[/url] of
Cepheus, discovered by
Caroline Herschel in 1787. The surrounding emission nebulosity is known colloquially as the
Wizard Nebula, which spans an angle of =nowrap25[url=mw-redirect=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minute_of_arc]′[/url]. German-born astronomer
William Herschel included his sister's discovery in his catalog, and labelled it H VIII.77. The nebula is known as S 142 in the 1959
Sharpless catalog (Sh2-142). It is extremely difficult to observe visually, usually requiring very dark skies and an O-III filter. The NGC 7380 complex is located at a distance of approximately 8.5
kilolight-years from the
Sun, in the
Perseus Arm of the
Milky Way.
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