NGC 3766 - THE PEARL  CLUSTER

OPEN CLUSTER IN CENTAURUS

 (ra: 11.36,1/ dec -61:37)

June 2009, Home Backyard in Martinez Buenos Aires, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Open Cluster

Apparent Magnitude: 5.3

Apparent Diameter: 12 arc minutes

DISTANCE: 5500 lights years

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: Celestron C8 SCT working at f6 (roughly)

CAMERA: SXVF H9

GUIDING: William Optics Zenithstar 66 with WO 0.8 x fr/ff

IMAGE ACQUISITION: AstroArt 3.0 - Control Interface 3.72 plug in

FILTERS: Astronomik Type II - Astronomik CLS - Atik Filter Wheel

SKY CONDITIONS: urban skies - transparency and seeing regular

EXPOSURES: LRGB (20,10,10,10)

PROCESSING: Images Plus, Sigma Median Combine. No darks no bias no flats  CCD Sharp, Photoshop CS2

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

This marvellous cluster was one of the first object I had the privilege to observe through an eyepiece. Very bright even in light polluted skies. It is easy detectable through a the finder scope. The cluster is also known as the "Pearl Cluster" was discovered by Abbe Lacaille in 1752 from South Africa. It is also a good binocular target even for light polluted skies. NGC 3766 is a very dense open cluster and shimmers like a pearl which is how its got the nickname.

NGC 3766 is a good binocular target and it can be glimpsed with naked eyes in a dark site.