Is this coat hanger a star cluster or an asterism? This cosmic hang-up has been debated over much of last century, as astronomers wondered whether this binocular-visible object is really a physically associated open cluster or a chance projection . Chance star projections are known as asterisms , an example of which is the popular Big Dipper . Recent precise measurements from different vantage points in the Earth's orbit around the Sun have uncovered discrepant angular shifts indicating that the Coat Hanger is better described as an asterism . Known more formally as Collinder 399 , this bright stellar grouping is wider than the full moon and lies in the constellation of the Fox (Vulpecula).
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Image Credit & Copyright: John Chumack