M45 - PLEIADES Open Cluster

Taurus

 (ra: 3:47,0 / dec 24:07)

Mercedes, Buenos Aires - November 2008

DATA

TYPE: Open Cluster with reflection nebula

APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 1.6

SIZE: 110 arcs minutes

DISTANCEE: 380 light years

OBJECT DESCRIPTION

The Pleiades are one of the most beautiful open cluster in the sky. It can be seen even from polluted skies with the naked eyes. It is a good target for binoculars. The main six members could be distinguished in rural skies, however the cluster has 3000 stars.

The blue colored nebula reflects the light of the bright stars which has the same spectra of the stars. The clouds are conformed by dust molecular particles and it can be seeing because it has a different radial velocity

The Pleiades are situated close to the ecliptic, that means occultation of the cluster by the Moon occurs frequently. Hopefully I will catch this scene some day...

IMAGE INFORMATION

TELESCOPE: Orion ED 80, LXD 75 with AustoStar

SKY CONDITION: Tranparency regular to good / Seeing regular

CAMERA: Canon DSRL 350 (unmodified)

FILTERS: none

EXPOSURES : 8 exposures from 5 to 8 minutes each taken by my friend Omar Mangini

GUIDING: William Optics Zenitstar 66, SXV Guide Head, AstroArt 3.72 Control Camera Plugin

PROCESSING: Sigma Combined in ImagesPlus. Photoshop CS