Palomar 8

Lore & Background

Palomar 8 is one of the Palomar globular clusters, which were discovered fairly late due to being very faint, heavily obscured, remotely located, or having few member stars. These clusters were identified using the enormous 48-inch Schmidt camera at Palomar. Some of the astronomers who identified such objects include George Abell, Fritz Zwicky, Edwin Hubble, Halton Arp, and Walter Baade. Palomar 8, like all Palomar globulars except Palomar 7 and Palomar 9, had never been seen before its discovery on the POSS plates.

Reader's Guide

Palomar 8 is significant as part of the set of 15 Palomar globular clusters, which are some of the faintest globular clusters in the Milky Way. Its discovery in the 1950s on the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey plates highlights the role of the 48-inch Schmidt camera in revealing objects that were previously undetected due to faintness, obscuration, or remoteness. Observation of Palomar 8 varies in difficulty; like other Palomar globulars, it may be small and compact or very sparse, making it hard to distinguish from foreground stars. Amateur astronomers can observe Palomar 8, but dark skies and high power (at least 200× magnification) are necessary. Successful observation requires skies with no light pollution, excellent seeing, precise sky navigation, and averted vision when needed. The cluster may appear hazy or, in some cases, allow resolution of individual stars. Its legacy lies in demonstrating the diversity of globular clusters in the Milky Way's outer regions and the challenges of observing faint, obscured objects.

Did You Know?

• Palomar 8 had never been seen before its discovery, unlike Palomar 7 and Palomar 9 which were previously known.
• Observation of Palomar 8 requires dark skies, high power (at least 200× magnification), and averted vision.