6: striking bird-shape with two prominent "arms". One of my favorite objects in this scope at 36x.

15x50mm (7/26/06): the cluster was slightly resolved in IS binoculars.

William Herschel discovered NGC 457 = H VII-42 = h97 on 18 Oct 1787 (sweep 769) and described "A star [Phi Cass]. About 50 seconds preceding is a cluster of small scattered stars, not very rich." John Herschel recorded "a double star 10m, pos 324.5°, dist 12", in the midst of a p rich L cl which fills the field. The stars are 10m; one of 7 and 1 of 8m in the sf part."

By analyzing William Herschel's early "reviews" of bright stars (before his systematic sweeps), Wolfgang Steinicke recently found (email Oct '16) that Herschel first discovered the cluster on 12 Oct 1782 using his 6.2" reflector.

200/250mm - 8" (1/1/84): ~75 stars in cluster at 100x.

400/500mm - 17.5" (9/19/87): ~150 stars in a beautiful cluster including mag 5 Phi 1 (likely a foreground star) and mag 7 Phi 2 Cassiopeiae. Includes many mag 14-15 stars.

Notes by Steve Gottlieb