| Designation |
NGC 869 & 884 The Double Cluster
|
| Type | Open Clusters |
| Constellation | Perseus |
| Coordinates | Telescope centered at RA '02 21 00'- Dec '+ 57 12 31' |
| Magnitude | 5.3 & 6.1 |
| Size | 60 light years across |
| Distance | 7,200 & 7,500 light years respectively |
| Dimensions | 60 arcminutes |
| Image Field | 90 x 131 arcminutes |
|
Notes:
|
The Double Cluster is a glorious sight in any instrument and visible with the naked eye from reasonably dark skies. The two clusters are separated by several hundred light years and their ages are differant, estimated to be 6 million (869) and 14 million years old (884). |
|
The two groups primary
star members are differnetiated also. 869 is composed mostly of young
blue giants while 884's brightest stars are primarily white or red-type
supergiants.
Nonetheless, the groups were both formed from the same
huge interstellar clouds of dust and gas.
| |
|
|
| Telescope | Takahashi FS60C f/5.9 on Losmandy G-11 with Gemini L3 |
| Focal Length | 264 mm @ f/4.4 with Takahashi focal reducer |
| Guiding | Starlight Xpress SXV guidehead through 10" SCT @ f/3.3 |
| Telescope Control | Maxim DL (V4.) |
| CCD Camera |
Starlight Xpress SXV-H9 - USB 2 ExView progressive
scan
1392 x 1040 (6.45 uM) pixel array (8.98 x 6.71 active area)
|
| Image Scale | 5.23 arcsec/pixel |
| Filters |
1.25" Astronomik Type II Dichroic
IR blocking filters in True Tech Superslim 8 filter wheel- Ha,
SII, OIII
|
| Exposures | Total exposure time: 15 minutes minutes RGB 5 minutes each (5 x 60 seconds) unbinned |
| Calibration | None |
| Processing Software | Maxim DL, Photoshop CS (8.0) |
| Location | Chiefland Astronomy Village, FL - 29.393 N , - 82.863 W |
| Date/Time | 11/03/05 |