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MESSIER 41

Open Cluster in Canis Major

 (ra: 06:46.0 / dec -20:44)

 

 

 

 

December 2010, Home Backyard in Martinez

Buenos Aires, Argentina

 

 

 

DATA

TYPE: Open Cluster

VISUAL MAGNITUDE: 4.5

SIZE: 38 arc minutes

DISTANCE: 2300 light years

   

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

 

Messier 41 is an inevitable target for any moderate size telescope form many enthusiast observers. However not so often imaged. It lies in the constellation of Canis Major and it was discovered by Giovanni Batista Hodierna before 1654 and was perhaps known to Aristotle about 325 BC. The cluster contains about 100 stars including several red giants and it spans for about 26 light years. The cluster is very easy to find. Just aim 4 degrees from Sirius to the South. From my backyard it can’t be glimpsed at naked eye, however I can star hope with the finder scope and it is a joy to watch even with smaller aperture scopes

 

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: TMB Signature Series 92 L @ f 5.5

MOUNT: Sky Watcher HEQ6

SKY CONDITIONS: Regular. Transparency bad.

CAMERAS: QSI 583 WS -15Cº

FILTERS: Astronomik Type 2, Ha 6nm

EXPOSURES: LRGB (30,20,20,20)

GUIDING: Orion Short Tube 80 f5. Starlight Xpress Lodestar Camera. AA 3.71 Control Camera Plug-in

PROCESSING: No darks, nor flats, nor offsets. Images Plus (Sigma Median Combination) CCD Sharp Richardson Lucy Deconvolution NASA Photoshop Fits Liberator, Photoshop CS