Last night while looking through Auriga for
M36 and M38 with 8.5x42 binoculars I came
across a binocular asterism located SSW of
M38. It is centered on RA 5h 27.5m / Dec +35
degrees. I viewed it at ~10p EST. The object
is made up of 8 stars ranging in magnitude
from 5.08 (phi Aur) to 6.86 (TYC 2411-515-1).
The entire asterism can fit inside a 2°
circle. This asterism looks like a face -- 2
eyes (mags 6.15 & 6.52) and 6 stars for the
mouth. I am calling it "Cheshire Cat" ...
unless, of course, there is another Cheshire
Cat up there. Is so then I would call it Frog
Face keeping with the alliterative theme. The
face is oriented "properly" at this time of
night/year.

If this asterism has been named already
please let me know if the details exist
somewhere.

Also, on the left edge of the "smile" (nearer
to M38) is the eclipsing binary star LY
Aurigae which varies from 6.7 - 7.4 with a
period of 4.002 days.

Let me know what you think.

Ben Cacace
Manhattan, NYC

P.S. - with the binoculars M36 was an easy
target. M38 was not an obvious open
cluster.