The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45, are an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. The cluster is dominated by hot blue and luminous stars that have formed within the last 100 million years. Reflection nebulae around the brightest stars were once thought to be left over material from the formation of the cluster, but are now considered likely to be an unrelated dust cloud in the interstellar medium through which the stars are currently passing. With larger amateur telescopes, the nebulosity around some of the stars can be easily seen; especially when long-exposure photographs are taken. Under ideal observing conditions, some hint of nebulosity around the cluster may even be seen with small telescopes or average binoculars. It is a reflection nebula, caused by dust reflecting the blue light of the hot, young stars. |
Object | M45 - Pleiades incl. NGC1435/1432 Nebulae |
---|---|
Constellation: | Taurus |
Position: | RA 3h 47m 24s DEC +24° 07′ 00″ |
Apparent Size: | 110 arcmin |
Apparent Magnitude: | +1.6 |
Distance (average) | 444 ly |
Photo Datas | |
Date | 30.10.2016, 20:50 UTC |
Location | Knottenried/Oberallgäu, 1002m ASL GPS: 47°36’13“ N, 10°11’24“ E |
Sky darkness SQM-L | Zenit 20.95mag/sqrsec, Object 20.85mag/sqrsec |
Ground Temp./Air Pressure | -2.0°C /1035mbar |
Thermal sky temp./weather | -52.1°C Zenit |
Seeing | 6/10 |
Telescope | Canon f/2.8 300mm L IS USM I |
Camera | Sony A7Ra mod @ T sensor=6.5°C |
Expose frames | ISO 3200, RAW 14x30s, 5 darks |
Total expose |
7 min. |
Filter | no |
Mount | HPS 10Micron GM 3000 |
Guiding Cam | no |
Software | DSS 3.3.4, Photoshop CC |
Remarks |
C 2016 Peter Cerveny