NGC 4103

 OPEN CLUSTER IN CRUX    

(Image centered at: ra 12 h:67 m / dec - 61º 15')

March 2022, Home Backyard in Martinez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Open Cluster

APPARENT DIAMETER: 12 arc minutes 

APPARENT MAGNITUDE (V): 7.4

DISTANCE: 5,320 light years

IMAGE INFORMATION

INSTRUMENT: 8" ORION OPTICS UK (Ultra Grade Optics) w/Sky Watcher Coma Corrector (0.9x) working at at f4.5

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS

MOUNT: SKY WATCHER NEQ6, OAG with Starlight Xpress Lodestar

FILTERS: Baader LRGB Set

SKY CONDITIONS: urban skies - Bortle 8

EXPOSURES: LRGB (40,40,40,40)

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OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

NGC 4103 is an open cluster located in the constellation Crux.  It was discovered by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop in 1826 from Paramatta Observatory, New South Wales in Australia. It is a young open cluster with an age determined to be 6 Million years (measured by A.E. Piskunov in 2004). The cluster spans over 39 to 51 light years and contains 421 members. NGC 4103 is not a very rich populated cluster and is dominated by moderately bright stars of 10 magnitude and fainter.