M45 - The Pleiades (Seven Sisters) in Taurus - Annotated

Open star cluster located approximately 385 light years from Earth.

 

The faint reflection nebulosity (forming the Maia and Merope Nebulae) visible around the hot blue stars is caused by light from the stars reflecting off dust in the surrounding interstellar medium.

 

Exposure: 70 x 25s exposures @ ISO1600 equiv. Darks & bias/offset, no flats. Total integration time: 29 mins.

Camera: Canon EOS 7D MKII

Lens: EF 70-200mm 1:2.8 L USM @ f/5.0. 200mm (x1.6).

Filters: None

Mount: Piggy-backed on 8" Meade LX10. Rough polar alignment.

Guiding: None

 

Data acquisition: 4th January 2017

 

RAW images calibrated & stacked in DeepSkyStacker

Processed in PSPx9.

Plate solved & annotated using PixInsight 1.8

Done