NGC 3293 - AKA THE GEM CLUSTER

 OPEN CLUSTER WITH EMISSION AND REFLECTION NEBULA IN CARINA (THE KEEL)

(Image centered at: ra 10h:35 m / dec - 58º 14')

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR A HIGH RESOLUTION VIEW

November 2025, Observatorio Cielos Albertnos, Buenos Aires, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Open Star Cluster with Emission and Reflection Nebula

APPARENT DIAMETER:  8.4 to 12 arc minutes

APPARENT MAGNITUDE (V): 4.7

DISTANCE: 8400 light years

IMAGE INFORMATION

INSTRUMENT: Orion Optics UK 6" Newtonian with Ultra Grade Optics working at f 4.5

CAMERA: QHY 183 Mono Camera

MOUNT: VIXEN GPDX Guided off axis with QHY 5II Mono Camera 

FILTERS: OPTOLONG LRGB Set & Antlia Ha 3nm O3 3nm

SKY CONDITIONS: Bortle 3 skies

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

NGC 3293 is a bright open cluster in the constellation of Carina, also known as The Gem Cluster. It consists of more than 100 stars brighter than 14th magnitude in an approximately 10 arc minute field of view. The brightest of are blue super giants of apparent magnitude 6.5 and 6.7. NGC 3293 is very young and its stars were formed in two different stages: the first one was about 20 million years ago and formed stars which are lying in the background as small reddish cast; the second wave was 5 to 6 million years ago. It has provided the large and bluish young and hot stars. Those hot stars reflect bluish nebulosity out of dust and gas which it came out very well. The background emission nebulosity comes from the Eta Carina Nebulosity Complex

NGC 3293 was discovered by French Astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751 from Cape of Good Hope