The Perseus Double Cluster - Explored

The Perseus double cluster complex imaged during a brief period of clear weather on night of 9th October. Consisting of two open star clusters NGC869 (top) and NGC884 (below) the complex lies at a distance of around 7500 lightyears from us.

 

Both clusters contain hot white and blue-white comparatively young stars as well as some supergiant red ones. These red/orange stars are more numerous within NGC884.

 

The clusters are physically close in space and are believed to contain at least 300 hot-white and blue-white super massive, super-luminous, giant stars in each cluster.

 

Conditions were not great with clouds coming and going with variable transparency on Saturday night. Eventually fog and mist moved in calling a halt to my imaging session and I had to trash a number of exposures.

 

Imaged with my little Skywatcher 72ED refractor with flattener and a ZWO ASI2600MC camera.

 

29 x 180 second guided exposures

 

30x Darks

No flats

 

Gain 100 @-10°C

 

Thanks for looking!

Done