| HOME |
M45 - PLEIADES Open Cluster
Taurus
(ra: 3:47,0 / dec 24:07)
Mercedes, Buenos Aires - October 2008
DATA
TYPE: Open Cluster with reflection nebula
APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 1.6
SIZE: 110 arcs minutes
DISTANCEE: 380 light years
OBJECT DESCRIPTION
The Pleiades are one of the most beautiful open cluster in the sky. It can be seen even from polluted skies with the naked eyes. It is a good target for binoculars. The main six members could be distinguished in rural skies, however the cluster has 3000 stars.
The blue colored nebula reflects the light of the bright stars which has the same spectra of the stars. The clouds are conformed by dust molecular particles and it can be seeing because it has a different radial velocity
The Pleiades are situated close to the ecliptic, that means occultation of the cluster by the Moon occurs frequently. Hopefully I will catch this scene some day...
IMAGE INFORMATION
TELESCOPE: Orion ED 80, LXD 75 with AustoStar
SKY CONDITION: Tranparency regular / Seeing regular
CAMERA: Starlight Xpress SXVF H9
FILTERS: ASTRONOMIK IR
EXPOSURES : 6 exposures of 240 seconds each
GUIDING: William Optics Zenithstar 66, SXV Guide Head, AstroArt 3.72 Control Camera Plugin
PROCESSING: Sigma Combined in ImagesPlus, CCD Sharp, Photoshop CS
FIT FILE FOR PROCESSING
Sigma Combine in IP 6 x 240 secs