Open Clusters

The Pleiades - Messier 45 - Seven Sisters

The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45, is an open star cluster located in the constellation Taurus. Robert Burnham states in his Celestial Handbook, "undoubtedly the most famous galactic star cluster in the heavens, known and regarded with reverence since remote antiquity." This was a two panel mosaic, each panel collected 3 hours and 36 minutes of data for just over 7 hours total time.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)Constellation: TaurusRight ascension: 03h 47m 24sDeclination: +24° 07′ 00″Distance: 444 ly on averageApparent magnitude (V): 1.6Apparent dimensions (V): 110' (arcmin)
Tech Specs: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Telescope, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at -10F, 216 x 60 second exposures for each panel, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in PixInisght. Image Date: December 13, 2023. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Clusters NGC 6940 in Vulpecula

NGC 6940 is an open cluster in the constellation Vulpecula. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784. The cluster is nearly a billion years old and it is located 2,500 light years away.
Tech Specs: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Telescope, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at 0F, 52x60 second, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in DSS and PixInsight. Image Date: October 4, 2023. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster NGC 457 - The Owl Cluster

This is the Owl Cluster in Cassiopeia, also known as NGC 457. The Owl Cluster is about 7,900 light-years away. The two bright stars inside this cluster are magnitude 5 Phi-1 Cassiopeia and magnitude 7 Phi-2 Cassiopeia.
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)Right ascension: 01h 19m 32.6sDeclination: +58° 17′ 27″Distance: 7.922 klyApparent magnitude (V): 6.4Apparent dimensions (V): 13.0′
Tech Specs: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Telescope, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at 0F, 54x60 second, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in DSS and PixInsight. Image Date: August 10, 2023. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Clusters NGC 129 in Cassiopeia

NGC 129 is an open cluster in the constellation Cassiopeia. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1788. It is located almost exactly halfway between the bright stars Caph (β Cassiopeia) and γ Cassiopeia. It is large but not dense and can be observed by binoculars, through which the most obvious component is a small triangle of stars of magnitude 8 and 9, located in the center of the cluster (Wikipedia).
Tech Specs: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Telescope, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at 0F, 54x60 second, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in DSS and PixInsight. Image Date: October 4, 2023. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster Messier 37 (M37) in Auriga

Messier 37 (also known as M37 or NGC 2099) is the second Messier open in the constellation of Auriga and is the brightest and richest of the three open clusters found there. M37 also hosts at least a dozen red giant stars. Admiral William Henry Smyth observed M37 in October 1836 and provided the following description, “A magnificent object, the whole field being strewed as it were with sparkling gold-dust.”
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)Right ascension: 5h 52m 18sDeclination: +32° 33′ 02″Apparent magnitude (V): 6.2Apparent dimensions (V): 24′
Tech Specs: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Telescope, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at -10F, 81 x 60 seconds, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in DSS and PixInisght software. Image Date: November 13, 2023. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

The Perseus Double Cluster

Here is a view of the famous double cluster in the constellation Perseus (between Perseus and Cassiopeia), they are also designated NGC 869 and NGC 884. Check out the red supergiants in this view! Did you know that the Perseus Double Cluster is surrounded by one of the largest concentrations of red supergiants stars in the sky? (Red supergiants, neutrinos and the Double Cluster, Tristram Brelstafff, 1996)
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)Constellation: PerseusRight ascension: 2h 20mDeclination: 57° 08′Distance: 7,460 and 7,640lyApparent magnitude (V): 3.7 and 3.8Apparent dimensions (V): 60′
Tech Specs: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Telescope, ZWO AS2600mc-Pro running at -10C, Celestron CGEM-DX mount, two panel mosaic each 54 x 60 second guided exposures, focused with a ZWO EAF, controlled with a ZWO ASIAir Pro. Processed using PixInsight. Image Date: October 29, 2022. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster NGC 7419 with Red Giants

This is the open cluster designated NGC 7419 in the constellation Cepheus. This cluster is between 7,500 and 11,000 light years away. Its location is behind some dark nebulae which reddens the color of the stars. The cluster does contain no less than five red supergiant stars - moved up to my top ten list for open clusters!
Tech Specs: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Telescope, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at 0F, 126x60 seconds guided exposures, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in DSS and PixInsight. Image Date: May 25, 2023. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster NGC 6633 in Ophiuchus

NGC 6633 is a large bright open cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. NGC 6633 is also known as the Tweedledum Cluster (paired with IC 4756 as Tweedledee), also as the Captain Hook Cluster. It is also designated Collinder 380 or Melotte 201. Nearly as large as the full moon, the cluster contains 38 known stars and shines with a total magnitude of 4.6; the brightest star is of mag 7.6. Its age has been estimated at 660 million years.
Observation data (J2000.0 epoch)Right ascension: 18h 27.7mDeclination: 6° 34′Apparent magnitude (V): 4.6Apparent dimensions (V): 27’
Tech Specs: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED Telescope, ZWO ASI2600MC camera running at 0F, 54x60 seconds guided exposures, Sky-Watcher EQ6R-Pro pier mounted, ZWO EAF and ASIAir Pro, processed in DSS and PixInsight. Image Date: August 18, 2023. Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster Messier 67 (M67 or NGC 2682)

Messier 67 (also known as M67 or NGC 2682) is an open cluster in the constellation of Cancer. It has the nickname King Cobra cluster, not sure where that name came from but would love to know. The cluster is about 2,800 light-years away from Earth. From Burnham's Celestial Handbook, Volume 1, "It is a compact group, some 15' in diameter, and containing 500 or more members, from the 10th to the 16th magnitudes." M67 has more than 100 stars similar to the Sun, and numerous red giants.
Distance to Earth: 2,800 light yearsRight ascension: 08h 51.3mDeclination: +11° 49′Apparent Magnitude: 6.1Common Name: King Cobra clusterFeatures: Three confirmed extrasolar planetsApparent dimensions: 30′
Tech Specs: Orion 8" f/8 Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph Telescope, Celestron CGEM-DX pier mounted, ZWO ASI290MC and ASI071MC-Pro, ZWO AAPlus, ZWO EAF, 108 x 60 seconds at -10C plus darks and flats, processed using PixInsight and DSS. Image Date: January 3, 2022. Location: The Dark Side Observatory, Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster NGC 6819

This is the open cluster NGC 6819 located in the constellation Cygnus. I have seen references calling the cluster the Fox Head Cluster, personally I just don’t see a fox head in this. It is about 7,200 light years away from Earth and has a visual magnitude of 7.3, thus you’ll need a small pair of binoculars to enjoy this jewel.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)Constellation: CygnusRight ascension: 19h 41m 18.0sDeclination: +40° 11′ 12″Distance: 7,200 lyApparent magnitude (V): 7.3Apparent dimensions (V): 5'Other designations: Collinder 403
Tech Specs: Orion 8" f/8 Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph Telescope, Celestron CGEM-DX pier mounted, ZWO ASI290MC and ASI071MC-Pro, ZWO AAPlus, ZWO EAF, 46 x 60 seconds at 0C plus darks and flats, processed using DSS. Image Date: August 27, 2022. Location: The Dark Side Observatory, Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster - Messier 52

Messier 52 or M52, also known as NGC 7654, is an open cluster of stars in the constellation of Cassiopeia. Messier 52 can easily be seen with binoculars. In 10×50 binoculars, it appears as a hazy, nebulous patch of light. 4-inch telescopes reveal a dense, compressed star cluster populated by many faint stars, with a shape resembling that of the letter V. More stars are visible in 6-inch and larger instruments. The cluster occupies an area just less than half of the size of the full Moon.
Observation data (J2000 epoch)Constellation: CassiopeiaRight ascension: 23h 24m 48.0sDeclination: +61° 35′ 36″Distance: 4.6 klyApparent magnitude (V): 7.3Apparent dimensions (V): 13.0′
Tech Specs: Orion 8" f/8 Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph Telescope, Celestron CGEM-DX pier mounted, ZWO ASI290MC and ASI071MC-Pro, ZWO AAPlus, ZWO EAF, 54 x 60 seconds at 0C plus darks and flats, processed using DSS. Image Date: September 1, 2022. Location: The Dark Side Observatory, Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster M35 in Gemini

This is open clusters Messier 35 found in the constellation Gemini. This is a huge open cluster that almost fills the same size in the sky as a full moon, it is about 2,800 light-years from Earth.
Tech Specs: Orion 8" f/8 Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph Telescope, Celestron CGEM-DX pier mounted, ZWO ASI290MC and ASI071MC-Pro, ZWO AAPlus, ZWO EAF, 54 x 60 seconds at -10C plus darks and flats, stacked in DSS. Image Date: November 7, 2021. Location: The Dark Side Observatory, Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Open Cluster NGC 2158 in Gemini

NGC 2158 is located in the constellation Gemini, southwest of M35. While it looks like they are close together, NGC 2158 is actually around 9,000 light-years behind M35 (11,000 light-years from Earth). It has an apparent magnitude of 8.6.
Tech Specs: Orion 8" f/8 Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph Telescope, Celestron CGEM-DX pier mounted, ZWO ASI290MC and ASI071MC-Pro, ZWO AAPlus, ZWO EAF, 54 x 60 seconds at -10C plus darks and flats, stacked in DSS. Image Date: November 7, 2021. Location: The Dark Side Observatory, Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

Messier 36 - Open Cluster in Auriga

Messier 36 (M36 or NGC 1960) lies at a distance of about 4,100 light years away from Earth in the constellation Auriga and is about 14 light years across. There are at least sixty members in the cluster. The cluster is very similar to the Pleiades cluster (M45), and if it were the same distance from Earth it would be of similar brightness.
Distance: 4,340 light year.Radius: 7 light yearRight ascension: 05h 36m 18.0sDeclination: +34° 08′ 24″Apparent Magnitude: 6.3
Tech Specs: Orion 8" f/8 Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph Telescope, Celestron CGEM-DX pier mounted, ZWO ASI290MC and ASI071MC-Pro, ZWO AAPlus, ZWO EAF, 54 x 60 seconds at -10C plus darks and flats, processed using PixInsight and DSS. Image Date: January 3, 2022. Location: The Dark Side Observatory, Weatherly, PA, USA (Bortle Class 4).

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