Messier 38 - a cluster caught by the web

Messier 38 (M38), also known as the Starfish Cluster, is an open star cluster located in the northern constellation Auriga. The cluster lies at a distance of 4,200 light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 7.4, making it invisible to the naked eye but easily identifiable with a pair of binoculars. Nearby, on the top of the image, a smaller cluster - NGC 1907 - can also be seen. These two clusters are unrelated but a 2002 study reveals they are presently in a fly by one by the other.

Permeating the scene like a spider web, hydrogen rich clouds farther away, at 12,000 light years. These are part of Tadpoles (not seen here) star forming region.

 

Photo shot at Barcarena in 2023.02.15 and 2023.02.16.

 

Technical details:

 

RGB: 134 x 120s (4h28)

Ha: 53 x 300s (4h25)

Total: 8h53

 

SW EQ6-R Pro | TS Optics Triplet APO 800/115 | TS Optics TSFLAT2 0.79x | QHYCCD 268M | Optolong LRGB | Astronomik Ha 6nm | RBFocus Gaius-S | RBFocus Myrrdin 2.3

 

Acquisition: N.I.N.A. | Processing: Pixinsight

 

Done