M44 (NGC 2632), aka Praesepe (manger)
Characteristics:
Magnitude: 3.1
Size: About 1.6 degrees
Distance: 577 light years
RA: 08h 40m 14.6s
Dec: 19 degrees 39' 22"
Position Angle (Pinpoint): minus 22 degrees
Description:
M44, also known as the Beehive
Cluster, is a large open star cluster
in Cancer.
It is seen as a cloudy patch in dark skies, and was recognized
as far back as 260 BC. However, Galileo was the first to view
this object through a telescope, revealing its true nature as a star
cluster. M44 is reasonably mature as open star clusters go, being
about 700 million years old and containing several red giants in
addition to younger, hot blue stars. More information about M44
may be
found here.
Photographic
Details:
Date: January 3, 2009
Scope: Takahashi
FSQ106 at f5 on the Takahashi NJP
Mount
Autoguider: SBIG ST-402 with
60mm guidescope, focal length 227mm
Camera: STL11K -20C
Filters: Baader LRGB
filter set; all 50.8mm
unmounted
Exposures: R 45'; G 45'; B 60'. Total
exposure 2.5 hours
Post-processing:
Calibrated, aligned, and Sigma Clip combined
in Maxim, followed
by DDP
in ImagesPlus (IP). Further processing in Photoshop CS (16
bit format)
Please
note: Graphics on this website
may not be reproduced without author permission.
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