- Constellation: Canis Major
- Right Ascension: 06h 46.0m
- Declination: −20° 46
- Distance: 2,300 ly
Messier 41 is an open cluster located in Canis Major near the brightest star in the sky, Sirius. First recorded notice of it was by Giovanni Battista Hordierna in 1645. Charles Messier added it to his catalog in January 1765.
The cluster consists of approximately 100 members, the brightest is an orange giant K3 type star located near the center of the cluster.
- Details
- Category: Open Clusters
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Crux
- Right Ascension: 12h 53m 42s
- Declination: −60° 22.0′
- Distance: 6,440 ly
NGC 4755, The Jewel Box Cluster is a young open cluster in the southern constellation of Crux. Taken with a remote scope in Australia while I waited out the clouds here. One of the youngest open clusters near us at an estimated age of 14-16 years, it contains many super-giant stars that haven't had time to burn through their fuel at their furious rate.
- Details
- Category: Open Clusters
- Constellation: Cygnus
- Right Ascension: 21h 31m 48.0s
- Declination: +48° 26′ 00"
- Distance: 1,010 ly
Messier 39 is an open cluster located in Cygnus. It contains an estimated 30 members and an age of approximately 200 - 300 million years. A wide and loose cluster with a starry background.
- Details
- Category: Open Clusters
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Cassiopeia
- Right Ascension: 01h 19m 32.6s
- Declination: +58° 17′ 27″
- Distance: 7,900 ly
NGC 457, better known as the ET cluster or the Owls cluster, is an open cluster located in the constellation of Cassiopeia
- Details
- Category: Open Clusters
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Cassiopeia
- Right Ascension: 23h 57m 24s
- Declination: +56° 42′ 30″
- Distance: 7,600 ly
Ngc 7789, or more poetically known as Caroline's Rose, or the White Rose was discovered by Caroline Herschel. An open cluster in the constellation of Cassiopeia at a distance of 7.6 thousand light years. An estimated 1,000 stars make up the cluster.
- Details
- Category: Open Clusters
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Taurus
- Right Ascension: 03h 47m 24s
- Declination: +24° 07′ 00″
- Distance: 444 ly
The Pleiades is an open cluster located in the constellation of Taurus. At a distance of only 444 light years, its one of the closer open clusters. The dust surrounding them was originally thought to be left over from their formation, but it is now thought the cluster is moving through a dusty region of space. The blueish color of the surrounding nebula comes from light reflecting off the dust.
Known since ancient times, Charles Messier added it to his list of comet like objects in March 1769, even though it would be difficult to confuse them with a comet.
- Details
- Category: Open Clusters
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM