M45 - The Pleiades

clusters nebulae

M45 - The Pleiades or Seven Sisters is a favorite of mine. A relatively close star cluster, the dust the cluster is moving through creates a beautiful reflection nebula. This image was created from 30 600s luminance, 30 300s luminance, 30 60s luminance, and color from 20 each of RGB data binned 2x2 with a QSI683 mono camera and TAK FSQ106 f/5 scope.

Here’s an annotated version (click for larger):

In the mid left is galaxy PGC13696 / UGC 2838, a very small/faint mag 16 galaxy:

Resolution ........ 2.102 arcsec/pix
Rotation .......... 174.080 deg
Focal ............. 530.00 mm
Pixel size ........ 5.40 um
Field of view ..... 1d 55' 45.6" x 1d 27' 12.9"
Image center ...... RA: 03 46 47.283 Dec: +24 10 22.05

Here’s an older version taken earlier in 2015 with the same scope, but a Canon DSLR: