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M11 Wild Duck Cluster

The Wild Duck Cluster is an open cluster of stars 6,100 ly away in the constellation Scutum (the Shield). Its popular name derives from the brighter stars forming a triangle which could resemble a flying flock of ducks (or, from other angles, one swimming duck). The cluster is located just to the east of the Scutum Star Cloud midpoint.

 

The Wild Duck Cluster is one of the richest and most compact of the known open clusters. It is one of the most massive open clusters known, and it has been extensively studied. Its age has been estimated to be about 316 million years. The brightest cluster member is visual magnitude 8, and it has 870 members of at least magnitude 16.5.

 

AT60ED F/3.8 on Evolution Alt/Az mount

ASI385MC one shot color camera

IDAS LPS D1 light pollution filter

40x8s 5.3m total exposure

Saved as viewed in Sharpcap (no post-processing) and edges cropped

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Uploaded on November 1, 2019