H and χ Persei
NGC 869 & NGC 884
NGC 869 (also known as h Persei) is an open cluster located 7460 light years away in the constellation of Perseus. The cluster is about 14 million years old. It is the westernmost of the Double Cluster with NGC 884.
The clusters are both located in the Perseus OB1 association, a few hundred light years apart from each other. The clusters were first recorded by Hipparchus, thus have been known since antiquity.
The clusters are visible with the unaided eye between the constellations of Perseus and Cassiopeia as a brighter patch in the winter Milky Way. In small telescopes the cluster appears as an assemblage of bright stars located in a rich star field. Dominated by bright blue stars, the cluster also hosts a few orange stars.
Additionally to the RGB recording, I used a narrowband flter in order to capture the faint nebulae around the amazing double cluster.
The clusters are both located in the Perseus OB1 association, a few hundred light years apart from each other. The clusters were first recorded by Hipparchus, thus have been known since antiquity.
The clusters are visible with the unaided eye between the constellations of Perseus and Cassiopeia as a brighter patch in the winter Milky Way. In small telescopes the cluster appears as an assemblage of bright stars located in a rich star field. Dominated by bright blue stars, the cluster also hosts a few orange stars.
Additionally to the RGB recording, I used a narrowband flter in order to capture the faint nebulae around the amazing double cluster.
Awarded Astronomical Picture of the Day (APOD) on Astronomia.com
Nominated for
Top Pick on Astrobin
featured in
01/2024
Nominated for
Top Pick on Astrobin
featured in
01/2024
Image Details
| Date |
March 2 & 11, 2022 |
| LOCATion |
Hannover (Germany) |
| Sky Quality |
Bortle 5 |
| Telescope |
Celestron RASA 8 (203/400 f/2) |
| Mount |
Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro |
| Main Camera |
ZWO ASI 2600 MC Pro Gain 100, Offset 18, -10° |
| Focuser |
Celestron Motorfocus |
| Filter |
IDAS NBZ
|
| Exposure |
Ha: 90 x 120" (3h) RGB: 112 x 120" (3h 44') Total: 6h 44′ |
| Guiding |
ZWO ASI 120MM, PHD2 |
| Calibration |
Flats, Darks, Darkflats |
| Software |
N.I.N.A., EQMod |
| Other |
Artesky Filter Holder |
| Processing | Astropixelprocessor, Photoshop, Pixinsight |
Gallery
view image
NGC 6914
view image
IC 447
view image
Interstellar Shells
view image
Orion Nebula
view image
Regulus & Dwarf Galaxy
view image
Sh2-140
view image
Sh2-187
view image
NGC 2403
view image
NGC 654
view image
Coathanger, Loch Ness a.o.
view image
Ghost of Cassiopeia
view image
Bode's Galaxy
view image
Butterfly Nebula (IC 1318)
view image
NGC 3184
view image
M 38 in HaRGB
view image
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)
view image
NGC 7822
view image
Pinwheel Galaxy
view image
Cone Nebula
view image
Aurora
view image
NGC 4151 & 4145
view image
Cave Nebula
view image
NGC 4725, 4747 & 4712
view image
The Crescent Nebula
view image
Lion Nebula
view image
M 13
view image
Horsehead Nebula (SHO)
view image
M 35 & NGC 2158
view image
Sh2-134 Widefield
view image
NGC 5033 & Friends
view image
Clamshell Nebula
view image
The Dark Mermaid
view image
Loch Ness Nebula
view image
Heart & Soul Nebula
view image
Iris Nebula
view image
Elephant's Trunk Nebula
view image
NGC 3718
view image
Flaming Star Nebula
view image
IC 410
view image
Andromeda Galaxy
view image
Leo Triplet
view image
Jellyfish Nebula
view image
M 3
view image
h and χ Persei (HaRGB)
view image
VDB 14 & 15
view image
Northamerica Nebula
view image
M 106
view image
Sh2-120 & NGC 7031
view image
NGC 188
view image
Tulip Nebula
view image
Markarian's Chain
view image
Wizard Nebula
view image
Bubble & Lobster Claw Nebula
view image
Copernicus
view image
Mare Imbrium
