M36 (NGC 1960)
Characteristics:
Magnitude: 6.5
Size: About 21'
Distance: 4,100 light years
RA: 05h 36m 37.6s
Dec: 34 degrees 08' 46"
Description:
M36 is a beautiful, open cluster
in Auriga, a constellation that contains other famous open clusters
such as M37 and M38. This is a young star cluster, with an age of
approximately 25 million years, and as a result contains no red giants
(the
older
yellow-red stars seen in the above image are not part of M36). If
M36 were located 10 times closer to us, it would present a naked eye
view similar to that of the Pleiades.
More information about M36 may be
found here.
Photographic Details:
Date: February 27, 2005
Scope: Takahashi
Sky 90 at f4.5 with field flattener/focal reducer, on the G11 Losmandy
Mount. I made a circular rim out of PVC tubing which fitted over
the dew shield of the Sky90 and permitted placement of an elastic band
to form an "X". This created the star spikes shown above for the
brighter stars. A photograph of this device is shown here (this
could also
be accomplished with kite string or fishing line).
Autoguider: SBIG STV with
e-finder.
Camera: SXV-H9
Filter: Astronomik
Type II R, G, B, plus clear filter set.
Exposures: L:R:G:B. 5 x 3'
for Luminance (clear filter); R, G, and B (4 x 3' each), all unbinned.
Conditions: Temperature 23 degrees F; below average
transparency; below average seeing; a little breezy; high,
thin
clouds passing through.
Post-processing: No darks,
flats, or bias frames used. Auto aligned
in
MaximDL; Sigma combined using RC Sigma Reject plug in, followed by DDP
in ImagesPlus (IP). Subsequent
levels and curves adjustments in Photoshop CS (16 bit format).
Please
note: Graphics on this website
may not be reproduced without author permission.
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