2022 Oct. 23 ~ Open star clusters M38 & NGC 1907 in the constellation Auriga

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Photographed at Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

(285 km by road north of Toronto)

between 00.32 and 00.52 EDT

* Altitude of centre of frame at time of exposures: 44°, increasing to 47°

* Temperature 9° C.

 

* Total exposure time: 10 minutes

* 1253 mm focal length telescope

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Description:

 

The constellation Auriga is festooned with open star clusters, three of which (M36, M37 and M38) are listed in Charles Messier's catalogue of non-stellar objects, commonly known as the Messier List.

 

In the centre of this image is the bright and large cluster M38, which was discovered in 1654, lies about 3,480 light years from our solar system, and is estimated to be about 250 million years old. It is quite bright, at magnitude 7.4, and is a very pretty sight in even a small telescope.

 

Below M38, near the bottom edge of the frame and just a little right of centre, is the smaller cluster NGC 1907, which is further away (4,500 light years), fainter (magnitude 8.2) and older (~500 million years) than M82.

 

For a version of this photo WITH LABELS, click on your screen to the RIGHT of the photo, or click here:

www.flickr.com/photos/97587627@N06/52472161224

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Technical information:

 

Nikon D810A camera body on Explore Scientific 152 mm (6") apochromatic refracting telescope, mounted on Astrophysics 1100GTO equatorial mount

 

Ten stacked subframes; each frame:

ISO 6400; 1 minute exposure at f/8

(with LENR - long exposure noise reduction)

 

Subframes stacked in RegiStar;

Processed in Photoshop CS6 (brightness, colour balance & saturation, sharpening)

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Done