M45 Pleiades

Image information:

Date: 11/27/2011
Equipment: QSI583ws with internal filter wheel and Astrodon E series Gen II LRGB filter set through AT65EDQ telescope on Losmandy GM8 mount.
Image type: LRGB
Exposure time: 8X6min Luminance Binned 1X1, RG&B 8X6min each binned 1X1.
Comment:  

Object information:

Object designations:

M45, Pleiades, Seven Sisters
Object type:
Open Cluster with Reflection Nebula
Object size:
110'
Constellation: Taurus
Comment:
The Pleiades is one of the most well known and beautiful open clusters. M45 contains about 500 stars within the diameter of 12 light years. The cluster is surrounded by blue nebulosity illuminated by the light reflected from its stars. The nebulosity is part of an interstellar molecular cloud through which the cluster is passing through and it is not related to M45. It is not a remainder of the nebula from which the Pleiades once formed, because radial velocities of the cluster and the cloud are too different. The Pleiades cluster is relatively close to us, it is only 370 ly distant.

Related images:

List of related images:

M45 Pleiades, LRGB, ST2000XM through LZOS Rubinar 4.5/300 Maksutov telephoto lens

 

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