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Star Clusters { 385 images } Created 19 Feb 2011

This Gallery contains deep-sky images of open and globular star clusters, as well as some asterisms. Constellations are contained in their own Galleries. Use the Search function to look for specific objects by catalog, by number or by name. There are separate Galleries for Messier and for NGC/IC objects but objects in those Galleries are also here, and vice versa.

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Andromeda (50mm 5DII).jpg
Antares Region (200mm 5DII).jpg
Auriga and Perseus (43mm Ra).jpg
$The field of clusters and nebulosity in Auriga, with — from left to right — Messier 37, Messier 36, and Messier 38, as the main open star clusters here. Below M38 is NGC 1907. The nebulosity at right is IC 410 and IC 405, the Flaming Star Nebula. In between them is the colourful asterism known as the Little Fish. Messier 38 is also known as the Starfish Cluster while Messier 36 is called the Pinwheel Cluster. The bright red nebula at top is Sharpless 2-235. The litttle nebulas at centre are NGC 1931 and IC 417. The field is similar to that of binoculars. This is a stack of 5 x 3-minute exposures with the Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 and 200mm Canon L-Series lens at f/2.8. Taken with the Fornax Lightrack tracker as part of testing. Diffraction spikes added with Astronomy Tools actions. Taken from home on a rare fine and mild winter night, January 4, 2019.$

Auriga Clusters and Nebulas (200mm 5...jpg
$This is a framing of the main area of central Auriga filled with an array of Messier star clusters and faint IC emission nebulas. The nebula at right is the Flaming Star, aka IC 405. The nebula below centre is IC 410 with the star cluster NGC 1893. The nebula above centre is IC 417 with the star cluster Stock 8. The nebula at upper left is Sharpless 2-235; while the large elongated patch of nebulosity at top centre is Sharpless 2-230. The star cluster at top is Messier 38 with the small cluster NGC 1907 below it, while the large cluster left of centre is Messier 36. The group of stars between IC 405 and IC 410 right of centre is Melotte 31, aka the Little Fish or Flying Minnow asterism. This is a stack of: 10 x 6-minute exposures at ISO 3200 through a IDAS NB1 dual narrowband nebula filter in a dark moonless sky, blended with 8 x 4-minute exposures at ISO 800 with an Antlia RGB multi-band filter, with the latter set taken in bright moonlight a week later, with all frames with the filter-modified (by AstroGear.net) Canon R camera. These were all with the SharpStar 61mm EDPH II refractor at f/4.5, on the Sky-Watcher EQM-35 mount autoguided with the ASIAir Mini and ZWO 30mm guidescope, as a test of the combination of entry-level gear, and of the Antlia filter to work under bright skies. However, the moonlit RGB filtered image stack was quite muddy when the blue moonlight was color corrected out, and doesn't contribute a lot to the final image. So most of this scene is from the narrowband filtered image stack, which records the nebulosity well but doesn't provide well-balanced natural star colours. Diffraction spikes added with AstronomyTools actions to add a sparkling effect to the stars to partly counter their off-colour. Taken in late March 2023, late in the season for this area of sky, so it was well over in the west with only a limited time each night to shoot it. Cloudy nights prevented getting a non-filtered set in a dark sky.$

Auriga Field (SS61 RMod).jpg
Auriga Nebulas (RedCat 51 + EOS Ra w...jpg
California to Pleiades (85mm EOS Ra).jpg
Cancer Between Leo and Gemini (28mm ...jpg
Cancer Clusters (60mm Ra).jpg
Carina-Centaurus Nebula Mosaic v1 (2...jpg
Carina-Centaurus Nebula Mosaic v2 (2...jpg
Carina Nebula & Chi Velorum (77m...jpg
Carina Nebula & Clusters (77mm 5...jpg
Carina Nebula & NGC 3532 (200mm ...jpg
$The spectacular region of sky around the Carina Nebula, NGC 3372, in Carina, with its adjacent nebulas and open star clusters. NGC 3532, the Football Cluster is at left, while NGC 3293, the Gem Cluster, is at upper right. At far right is the ear-lobed shaped Crescent Nebula, NGC 3199, a remnant of a Wolf-Rayet star and its stellar winds. This is a two-panel mosaic, with each panel a stack of 4 x 6-minute exposures with the Borg 77mm f/4 astrographic refractor and filter modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 1600. Stitched in Photoshop. Shot April 3/4, 2016 from Tibuc Cottage, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia. Autoguided with the SBIG SG-4 guider.$

Carina Nebula Panorama (77mm 5DII).jpg
Carina Nebula & Southern Pleiade...jpg
Cassiopeia Clusters and Nebulas (RF2...jpg
Cassiopeia Clusters & Nebulas (8...jpg
Cassiopeia Clusters (SS76 R5).jpg
$The starfield in eastern Cassiopeia containing an abundance of open star clusters. The most prominent is NGC 663, aka the Letter S Cluster, at bottom. Above it is NGC 654; to its right is NGC 659. At centre is Messier 103. At far right is NGC 457, the ET or Owl Cluster. Above it is NGC 463. The star at far left is Epsilon Cass; the star at right of centre is Delta Cas, aka Ruchba. The 7.5 x 5° field is close to a binocular field of view. This is a stack of 15 x 4-minute exposures with the SharpStar 61mm apo refractor at f/4.5 and with the Canon R6 at ISO 800. Taken from home Oct. 1, 2021. Diffraction spikes added with Astronomy Tools actions.$

Cassiopeia Clusters with M103 (SS61 ...jpg
Cassiopeia & Perseus Clusters (1...jpg
Cassiopeia-Perseus Nebulas & Clu...jpg
Centre of the Galaxy (77mm 5DII).jpg
$The Coal Sack and Jewel Box Cluster area on the east side of Crux, the Southern Cross. The Coal Sack, which to the eye looks like a large dark patch, under photography breaks up into small patches, the darkest just south of the Jewel Box Cluster, here just below and left of Becrux, or Beta Crucis. Other star clusters in the scene are NGC 4852 at top left, Trumpler 20 at right. and NGC 4609 at lower centre. The cluster at far right above Acrux is NGC 4349. The small intensely red area left of centre is the nebula Gum 46. The star at lower right is Acrux, Alpha Crucis. This is a stack of 5 x 8 minute exposures with the Borg 77mm astrographic apo refractor (330mm focal length) at f/4.3 and with the filter-modified Canon 5D Mark II at ISO 800. Taken from Coonabarabran, Australia, March 2014.$

Coal Sack and Jewel Box (7mm 5DII) #...jpg
Coal Sack to Lambda Centauri Mosaic ...jpg
Coathanger Cluster (200mm 6DII).jpg
$The colourful region in and around the Coathanger asterism in Vulpecula the Fox. The grouping is not a star cluster per se, though it is catalogued as one, Collinder 399. It is also known as Brocchi's Cluster. A true star cluster, NGC 6802, is located at the east (left) end of the Coathanger, as the small clump of stars. The area is also rich in faint nebulosity, notably: the Sharpless 2-83 reflection nebula complex above the Coathanger, and the small, round Sharpless 2-82 emission and reflection nebula below the Coathanger. The large area of red emission nebula at bottom right is not catalogued or labelled in any of the star atlases I have, including the Millenium Star Atlas and Uranometria. However, the small round red "nebula" on the bottom edge of the large nebula is actually a highly reddened globular cluster, Palomar 10. This area of the Milky Way is rich in dark nebulas and absorbing dust, yellowing the fields. This is a stack of 10 x 5-minute exposures through the SharpStar 61EDPH II refractor with its flattener/reducer at f/4.5 and the red-sensitive Canon Ra, though with no filter employed here. The mount was the little Star Adventurer GTi portable GoTo mount undergoing testing, and autoguided with the ZWO ASIAir and its little 30mm guidescope, with the Air also controlling the Ra and performing dithering moves between each exposure. The guiding worked very well. No darks or LENR were applied here, but the stacking averaged out the thermal noise hot pixels on this fairly warm autumn night, September 27, 2022. All stacking and alignment with Photoshop. A mild Orton Glow effect added with Luminar AI, plus an application of PK Actions Dark Detail Hard action (a form of high-pass sharpening), two somewhat opposing effects -- i.e. fine sharpening plus overall softening. But the result does punch up the nebulosity, as does some luminosity masked curves adjustment layers from TK Actions and Lumenzia. Noise reduction was with RC Astro's Noise XTerminator.$

Coathanger Cluster Cr399 (SS61 Ra).jpg
Coathanger Cr399 (6x7 Bino Field).jpg
$A rich starfield in the constellation of Vulpecula the Fox, in the Milky Way, with a mix of nebulosity. At bottom is the Coathanger asterism of stars, aka Collinder 399, or Brocchi's Cluster. At top left is the emission nebula NGC 6820. Other dark nebulas from the Lynds Dark Nebula catalogue populate the field. The blue glow above the Coathanger is reflection nebulosity which does not appear to have a catlogue number. A small reflection nebula around the blue stars at right is van den Burgh 126. The small round red emission nebula at lower left is Sharpless 2-82. The yellow star at top right is Anser, or Alpha Vulpeculae. The pervasive interstellar dust in the area tints the starfield yellow. This is a stack of 10 x 6-minute exposures with the Sharpstar 61EDPH III refractor at f/4.4 and the filter-modified Canon R at ISO 800 on the Astro-Physics 600E mount autoguided with the MGEN III guider. No filter employed other than a UV/IR Cut filter.$

Coathanger to NGC 6820 (SS61 RMod).jpg
$The asterism known as the Coathanger, aka Cr 399, in Vulpecula, at upper right here. The faint blue reflection nebula above it is Sharpless 2-83; the small reflection nebula at bottom is Sh-2-82. The small open cluster off the left tip of the Coathanger is NGC 6802. The Coathanger asterism is a fine one for binoculars. The 7.5 x 5° field is close to a binocular field of view. This is a stack of 12 x 6-minute exposures with the SharpStar 61mm apo refractor at f/4.5 and with the Canon R6 at ISO 1250. Taken from home Sept. 30, 2021. Diffraction spikes added with Astronomy Tools actions.$

Coathanger with NGC 6802 (SS61 R6).jpg
$This area in Cygnus that contains the circular Cocoon Nebula, aka IC 5146, located at the end of the long dark nebula called the Dark Cigar but officially is Barnard 168. The nebulas are flanked by two open star clusters: NGC 7209 at far left just over the border in Lacerta, and Messier 39 at far right. NGC 7209 barely stands out amid the rich starfield here, just below an orange star, while M39 is bright but sparse at right. The clusters and dark nebula stand out well in binoculars but the Cocoon Nebula is a challenge to see in telescopes. This is a stack of 6 x 6-minute exposures with the William Optics RedCat 51mm astrographic refractor at f/5 and the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 800 with LENR on as it was the warmest night of the summer, August 18, 2020. Aligned, stacked and median combined in Photoshop to eliminate some satellite trails. Autoguided with the ZWO ASIAir and ASI120MM guide camera with the RedCat on the Astro-Physics Mach1 mount. No filters employed here.$

Cocoon Nebula and Clusters (RedCat E...jpg
Collinder 140 J Cluster (135mm Bino ...jpg
$Coma Berenices star cluster aka Melotte 111. This is a stack of 4 x 6 minute exposures at ISO 1600 with the Canon 7D on the TMB 92mm apo refractor with Borg 0.85x reducer/flattener for f/4.5. Taken on a slightly hazy night, April 22, 2011 using AP 600E mount and SG4 autoguider.$

Coma Berenices Cluster Mel111 (92mm ...jpg
$Coma Berenices star cluster aka Melotte 111. This is a stack of 4 x 6 minute exposures at ISO 1600 with the Canon 7D on the TMB 92mm apo refractor with Borg 0.85x reducer/flattener for f/4.5. Taken on a slightly hazy night, April 22, 2011 using AP 600E mount and SG4 autoguider.$

Coma Berenices Cluster Mel111 with S...jpg
$The large star cluster in Coma Berenices catalogued as Mel111, at right, and two prominent galaxies at left: the Needle Galaxy, NGC 4565, at lower left, and NGC 4559 at upper left. NGC 4494 is between NGC 4565 and the star cluster at bottom. This is a stack of 19 x 4-minute exposures with the Sky-Watcher Evolux 82ED refractor and its 0.9x Corrector/Reducer for a focal length of 477mm at f/5.8. The Canon EOS Ra was at ISO 800. Images taken as part of testing this telescope in April 2022.$

Coma Berenices Cluster with Evolux 8...jpg
Coma Berenices Constellation (85mm 6...jpg
$The large star cluster in Coma Berenices known officially as Melotte 111, at right, with two of the most prominent galaxies in Coma at left: NGC 4559 at top and the Needle Galaxy, NGC 4565, at bottom. Several other fainter galaxies are in the field. I shot this April 2, 2021 on a less-then-ideal hazy night as a test of the new SharpStar 94mm EDPH refractor telescope and its matching field flattener/reducer. The high haze added the star glows and accentuated the star colours, so did make for a nice image in the end. And despite the haze, galaxies as faint as 14th magnitude are recorded, such as tiny NGC 4562 below the Needle Galaxy. This is a stack of 10 x 6-minute exposures at ISO 800 with the Canon EOS Ra, autoguided on the Astro-Physics Mach 1 mount with the Lacerta MGEN3 stand-alone autoguided set to dither 5 pixels between each exposure. The field of view is about 3.3° x 5°.$

Coma Berenices & Galaxies (SS 94...jpg
$The Coma Berenices star cluster, aka Mel 111, with a smattering of galaxies, taken under dark skies on a spring evening. The edge-on galaxy NGC 4565 is at left. I shot this as a test of the William Optics RedCat 51mm f/5 astrographic refractor (which provides a focal lengthof 250mm). This was on the iOptron SkyGuider Pro tracker, a popular portable mount to use with the RedCat. I used it unguided for a set of 2-minute exposures. Of the 20 exposures, 12 were relatively untrailed and so were selected for stacking for this image. This is a stack of 12 x 2-minutes at ISO 1250 with the Canon EOS Ra. Stacked and blended in Photoshop CC. The little RedCat astrograph is very sharp to the corners. The field is about 8° by 5.5°.$

Coma Berenices in Dark Sky (WO51 EOS...jpg
$The Coma Berenices star cluster, aka Mel 111, with a smattering of galaxies, taken in the deepening twilight and growing moonlight of a spring evening. The edge-on galaxy NGC 4565 is at left. I shot this as a test of the William Optics RedCat 51mm f/5 astrographic refractor. This was on the iOptron SkyGuider Pro tracker, a popular portable mount to use with the RedCat. I used it unguided for a set of 2 minute exposures. But only 6 of the 12 images taken in quick succession were untrailed enough to be usable in the stack, about typical for shooting with a tracker unguided with focal lengths over 135mm. This is a stack of 6 x 2-minutes at ISO 800 with the Canon EOS Ra. Stacked and blended in Photoshop CC. Taken as the waning gibbous Moon was rising this night on May 8, 2020. The little RedCat astrograph is very sharp to the corners. The field is about 8° by 5.5°.$

Coma Berenices in Moonlight (WO51 EO...jpg
$The Coma Berenices star cluster, aka Melotte 111, at right, with two prominent galaxies at left: NGC 4559 at top left and edge-on NGC 4565 at bottom left. This is a stack of 6 x 8 minute exposures with the SharpStar 76mm apo refractor with the EDPH field flattener for f/4.5 and with the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 800. Diffraction spikes added for effect using Astronomy Tools actions.$

Coma Berenices Star Cluster and Gala...jpg
$The large star cluster in Coma Berenices called Mel111, accompanied by several galaxies, notably the edge-on NGC 4565 at lower left and the spiral NGC 4559 at upper left. The field of view is 7.5° by 5°, so similar to binoculars. This is a stack of 12 x 6-minute exposures with the Sharpstar 61mm EDPH II telescope at f/4.6 with its reducer (for a focal length of 280mm), and Canon EOS Ra at ISO 800. Sub-frames dithered with the MGEN3 auto-guider. No darks applied. Diffraction spikes added in post for artistic effect.$

Coma Berenices Star Cluster (SS61 Ra...jpg
Comet C2022 E3 ZTF in Auriga (Feb 8,...jpg
Comet ZTF and Taurus Clusters (Feb 1...jpg
$Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) in the constellation of Taurus on the night of Feb 10, 2023. The comet is the cyan-coloured glow above bright orange Mars. At right is the Pleiades star cluster, while the Hyades star cluster with reddish Aldebaran is below. Other NGC catalogue star clusters are in this framing: NGC 1647 below centre, NGC 1746 below right of the comet and Mars, and NGC 1817 at lower left. Mars appears to be at the tip of a dark lane of interstellar dust in the Taurus Dark Clouds. This is a stack of 8 x 2-minute exposures at ISO 800 with Canon R5 and with the RF28-70mm lens at f/2.8 and 65mm. The lens was stopped down from f/2 so the iris blades added the diffraction spikes. Tracked but unguided on the AP Mach1 mount, and taken from home. A mild diffusion effect added with Radiant Photo plug-in.$

Comet ZTF in Taurus (Feb 10, 2023).jpg
Comet ZTF in Taurus (Feb 14, 2023).jpg
Comet ZTF in Taurus (Feb 14, 2023).tif
Comet ZTF Near Hyades (Feb 14, 2023).tif
$The Coathanger asterism of stars, aka Cr399, in Vulpecula, with the small open cluster NGC 6802 at left. I shot this from home on a very clear night on July 31, 2019, using the Astro-Physics Traveler and Hotech f/6 field flattener for a stack of 5 x 8-minute exposures at ISO 800 with the now 10-year-old filter-modified Canon 5D Mark II. Diffraction spikes added with Astronomy Tools actions..$

Cr399 Coathanger Asterism (105mm 5DI...jpg
Cr399 Coathanger Cluster area (135mm...jpg
Crux, Southern Cross, Mosaic (77mm 5...jpg
Dark Doodad Nebula in Musca (200mm 5...jpg
Dark Doodad & NGC 4372 (77mm 5DI...jpg
Dark Doodad & NGC 4372 (77mm 5DI...jpg
Diamond Cluster NGC 2516 (200mm 5DII...jpg
$The well-known Double Cluster (aka NGC 884 and NGC 869) framed at upper right to include two of its companion star clusters, NGC 957 at upper left and Trumpler 2 at lower left. Dotted through the field of young blue stars are numerous aging yellow giant stars. And the gradation in sky colour from the clearer, bluer sky with more stars at right to the dustier, yellower sky and fewer stars at left is subtle but obvious here, from interstellar dust in this part of the Milky Way. This is a stack of 8 x 6-minute exposures at ISO 800 with the Canon Ra and on the StarField Optics Géar80 apo refractor with its matching reducer/flattener for f/4.8. Taken from home through breaks in passing clouds as part of testing of this new scope. No darks or LENR used, just dithering between each frame using the MGEN autoguider. Diffraction spikes added with AstronomyTools actions in Photoshop for artistic effect.$

Double Cluster and Companion Cluster...jpg
$The famous Double Cluster (NGC 869, right and NGC 884, left) in Perseus, in a wide-field shot that includes the nearby stars clusters NGC 957 to the left, and Trumpler 2 at bottom left. The large and sparse cluster Stock 2, aka the Muscle Man Cluster, is at upper right. The field is filled with yellow supergiant stars. The field of view is similar to that of binoculars. This is a stack of 20 (!) x 3-minute exposures with the SharpStar 61EDPH II refractor with its reducer/flattener at f/4.5, and the Canon Ra at ISO 800. Autoguided with the MGENIII, on the Star Adventurer GTi mount taken as part of testing the mount. A slight camera tilt from the reducer's rotator mechanism being a bit loose produces slightly soft stars on the left side of the frame. Taken from home September 25, 2022.$

Double Cluster and Environs (SS61 Ra...jpg
Double Cluster and Stock 2 (Borg 77m...jpg
$The famous Double Cluster (NGC 869, right and NGC 884, left) in Perseus, in a wide-field shot that incl;udes the large and sparse cluster Stock 2, aka the Muscle Man Cluster, is at top, looking here as if it outlined by a square border of stars. The field is filled with yellow supergiant stars. This is a stack of 12 x 5-minute exposures with the SharpStar 76EDPH refractor with its reducer/flattener at f/4.5, and the Canon R5 at ISO 800. Autoguided with the MGENIII, on the Star Adventurer GTi mount taken as part of testing the mount. Taken from home October 1, 2022.$

Double Cluster & Stock 2 (SS76 R...jpg
$The binocular double stars in Lyra: Delta Lyrae at lower left, Epsilon Lyrae at top centre, and Zeta Lyrae between Delta and bright blue Vega. Surrounding Delta Lyrae is the sparse star cluster Stephenson 1. Epsilon Lyrae is the Double Double as each of its two stars splits again into two stars at high power in a telescope. The small cluster at upper left is Sal 8, with an unnamed asterism above it. Taken in a clear sky lit by a waxing gibbous Moon, thus the blue sky background. The 7.5° x 5° field of view is close to that of binoculars. This is a stack of 8 x 2-minute exposures at f/4.4 with the SharpStar 61mm EDPH refractor and Canon R6 at ISO 400.$

Epsilon, Delta and Zeta Lyrae in Moo...jpg
False Cross & Gamma Velorum (85m...jpg
Galactic Centre and the Dark Horse (...jpg
$This is the field near the bright star Gamma Cassiopeiae, or Navi, at left, with the reflection nebulas IC 63 (bottom) and IC 59, aka the Ghost of Cassiopeia, above the bright star. At lower right is the star cluster NGC 129, while at top centre is a loose cluster NGC 225, aka the Sailboat Cluster. It has a small patch of reflection nebulosity near it identified as van denBurgh 4 in the Tri-Atlas. It was not marked on other atlases. Many orange giant stars pervade the area. The field of view is 4.7° by 3.1°. This is a stack of 10 x 6-minute exposures with the Astro-Tech 90CFT refractor with the 0.8x Reducer for f/4.8 and the filter-modified Canon R at ISO 800. On the Astro-Physics 600E mount and autoguided with the MGENIII guider. No filter employed other than a UV/IR Cut filter.$

Gamma Cassiopeiae Clusters (90CFT RM...jpg
$The nebulosity around the central star of Cygnus, Gamma Cygni (aka Sadr), with the nebulosity generally taking the catalog name IC 1318, The bright open star cluster above Sadr is NGC 6910; the cluster at right, above centre, is IC 1311. The prominent patch of dark nebulosity at right, below centre, is B 343. Messier 29, M29, is at the bottom edge, left of centre. This is a panoramic stitch of 2 segments, each a stack of 4 x 7-minute exposures at ISO 1600 with the filter-modified Canon 5D MkII, shooting through the TMB 92mm apo refractor at f/4.5 with the Borg 0.85 flattener/reducer. Stitched with Photoshop. Taken on a night with some high clouds, so some frames have haze, which adds the natural sky glows. Diffraction spikes added in post with Astronomy Tools Actions.$

Gamma Cygni Area Panorama.jpg
Gamma Velorum and NGC 2547 (200mm 5D...jpg
Gemini (60mm Ra).jpg
Gemini, Auriga & Taurus (35mm RM...jpg
$The field of clusters and nebulosity in Gemini, with Messier 35 the main open star clusters here. Below M35 is NGC 2158. The nebulosity at left between Mu and Eta Geminorum is IC 443, a supernova remnant, aka the Jellyfish Nebula. The nebula at bottom is IC 2174, just over the border in Orion and aka the Monkeyhead Nebula. The field is similar to that of binoculars. This is a stack of 10 x 3-minute exposures with the filter-modified Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 and 200mm Canon L-Series lens at f/2.8. Some light haze passing through in some exposures added the natural star glows. I left those in as part of the stack to add the glows. Taken with the Fornax Lightrack tracker as part of testing. Taken from home on a rare fine and mild winter night, January 4, 2019. Diffraction spikes added with Astronomy Tools.$

Gemini Clusters and Nebulas (200mm 5...jpg
Gemini Nebulas Mosaic (HNT150 EOS Ra...jpg
Heart and Soul Nebulas and Double Cl...jpg
Hyades and NGC 1647 (135mm Bino Fiel...jpg
$The large Hyades star cluster, at right, plus orange Aldebaran, and the smaller star cluster NGC 1647 at left, in Taurus, and in the moonlight of a first quarter Moon, January 2, 2020. Thus the blue sky. This is a stack of eleven 2-minute exposures with the 200mm Canon lens at f/2.8 and Canon EOS Ra camera at ISO 400, with one of the exposures taken with haze in the sky to add the natural star glows. No filter was used here. The camera was on the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer tracker. Diffraction spikes added for aesthetic effect with Astronomy Tools Actions.$

Hyades and NGC 1647 Clusters (200mm ...jpg
$The Hyades star cluster with orange Aldebaran taken in a moonlit sky and with light haze softening the stars and adding the haloes. The star cluster NGC 1647 is at upper left. The colourful double star Theta 1 and 2 Tauri is at lower centre. This is a stack of 8 x 2-minute exposures at ISO 800 with the Canon R6, and the little Askar 230 astrograph at f/5.5. Autoguided with the MGEN3 guider. Diffraction spikes added with PhotoKemi StarTools actions.$

Hyades in Moonlight (FMA230 R6).jpg
$The Hyades star cluster in Taurus with orange giant Aldebaran. The star cluster NGC 1647 is at upper left. The colourful double star Theta 1 and 2 Tauri is at lower centre. This is a stack of 8 x 4-minute exposures at ISO 800 with the Canon R6, and the little Askar 230 astrograph at f/5.5. Autoguided and dithered with the MGEN3 guider. The last 4 exposures were taken January 20, 2022 with the waning Moon rising adding some blue tint to the sky, which is partly retained here. Diffraction spikes added with Astronomy Tools actions.$

Hyades Star Cluster (FMA230 R6).jpg
$The Hyades star cluster, with bright yellow Aldebaran, in Taurus, with the smaller, more distant star cluster NGC 1647 at left. The field is similar to that of binoculars. This is a stack of 5 x 2-minute exposures with the Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800 and 200mm Canon L-Series lens at f/2.8. An additional exposure taken through the Kenko Softon A filter is layered in to add the star glows to bring out their colours. Taken with the Fornax Lightrack tracker as part of testing. Taken from home on a rare fine and mild winter night, January 4, 2019. Diffraction spikes added with Astronomy Tools actions for artistic effect.$

Hyades with NGC 1647 Cluster (200mm ...jpg
$IC 2391 open cluster. Taken with 77mm Borg refractor at f/4.3 and Hutech-modified Canon 5D camera at ISO 400 for stack of 3 x 6 minute exposures. Taken from Coonabarabran, NSW, April 17, 2007.$

IC 2391 (77mm 5D).jpg
$IC 2391 Cluster in Vela. NGC 2669 to the left. Taken with 4-inch AP Traveler apo refractor at f/4.5 with Canon 20Da camera at ISO 800 for stack of 4 x 2 minute exposures. Taken from Coonabarabran$

IC 2391 in Vela (4in f4.5 20Da).jpg
IC 2391 Omicron Velorum Cluster (Bin...jpg
$IC 2395 Cluster in Vela. NGC 2670 to lower left. Taken with 4-inch AP Traveler apo refractor at f/4.5 with Canon 20Da camera at ISO 800 for stack of 4 x 2 minute exposures. Taken from Coonabarabran, NSW, March 26, 2007.$

IC 2395 in Vela (4in f4.5 20Da).jpg
IC 2395 in Vela (Bino Field) (135mm ...jpg
$IC 2602 Southern Pleiades Cluster in Carina. Mel 101 at bottom. Taken with 4-inch AP Traveler apo refractor at f/4.5 with Canon 20Da camera at ISO 800 for stack of 4 x 3 minute exposures. Taken from Coonabarabran$

IC 2602 Southern Pleiades (4in f4.5 ...jpg
$IC 2602 open cluster (Southern Pleiades), with 4-inch Astro-Physics Traveler apo refractor at f/6 and Canon 20Da at ISO800 for stack of two 2-minute exposures. Taken from Queensland, Australia, July 30, 2006.$

IC 2602 Southern Pleiades (4in f6 20...jpg
$IC 2602 open cluster (Southern Pleiades), with 4-inch Astro-Physics Traveler apo refractor at f/6 and Canon 20Da at ISO800 for stack of two 2-minute exposures. Taken from Queensland, Australia, July 30, 2006.$

IC 2602 Southern Pleiades (4in f6 20...jpg
$IC 2602 Southern Pleiades open cluster. Taken with 77mm Borg refractor at f/4.3 and Hutech-modified Canon 5D camera at ISO 400 for stack of 6 x 6 minute exposures. Taken from Coonabarabran, NSW, April 17, 2007.$

IC 2602 Southern Pleiades (77mm 5D).jpg
IC 2602 Southern Pleiades (Bino Fiel...jpg
IC 443 & M35 in Gemini (92mm 6D).jpg
IC 4665 Cluster.jpg
$The large and sparse open cluster in Ophiuchus called IC 4665, an object easy in binoculars. The star at centre is Celbalrai or Beta Ophiuchi. The 7.5 x 5° field is close to a binocular field of view. This is a stack of 9 x 4-minute exposures with the SharpStar 61mm apo refractor at f/4.5 and with the Canon R6 at ISO 800. Taken from home October 1, 2021 on a slightly hazy night with the field into the southwest.$

IC 4665 Cluster (SS61 R6).jpg
$The sparse star cluster IC 4665 in Ophiuchus above the yellow star Cebalrai or Beta Ophiuchi. This is a big cluster best suited to observing with binoculars. This is a stack of 4 x 5-minute exposures with the Canon Ra at ISO 800 on the SharpStar 61EDPH II refractor, on the Star Adventurer GTI mount, autoguided with the ZWO ASIAir. Taken from home September 25, 2022.$

IC4665 Cluster (SS61 Ra).jpg
IC 4665 in Ophiuchus (200mm 6DII).jpg
Jupiter in Taurus (50mm 60Da).jpg
Jupiter in Taurus over Timor Rock.jpg
Kembles Cascade and NGC 1502 (130mm ...jpg
$The asterism known as Kemble’s Cascade, named for Canadian astronomer and Franciscan friar Father Lucien Kemble who first drew people’s attention to this interesting line of stars near the star cluster NGC 1502 at lower left. This is in Camelopardalis. This is with the AM 106mm apo refractor at f/6 and Canon 6D MkII at ISO 1600 for a stack of 6 x 4 minutes exposures. A “glow” layer with a Luminar Orton glow effect adds the star glows, while a layer with the Astronomy Tools star spikes action adds the diffraction spikes. Taken from home Nov. 28, 2018.$

Kemble's Cascade in Cameloparda...jpg
$This is the asterism of stars known as Kemble's Cascade, named by Walter Scott Houston for Canadian amateur astronomer and Franciscan friar Father Lucien Kemble who popularized the stellar star chain. It is an obvious sight in binoculars or a telescope at low power but is off the beaten track in Camelopardalis. The star cluster NGC 1502 lies at the south end of the star chain. Below 1502 is a tiny vivid green dot, the planetary nebula NGC 1501. The field of view here is similar to that of binoculars. This is a stack of 8 x 5-minute exposures with the SharpStar 61mm refractor at f/4.5 and Canon R6 at ISO 1600. Diffraction spikes added for artistuc effect with AstronomyTools actions.$

Kemble's Cascade (SS61 R6).jpg
Leo and Coma Berenices (35mm RMod).jpg
Lowers Nebula and NGC 2169 (HNT 5DII...jpg
$NGC 663 (left of centre) and M103 (bottom right) open clusters in Cassiopeia. NGC 654 is at upper centre and NGC 659 bottom centre. Faint cluster IC 166 is at far left. Taken Nov 5, 2010 with 105mm A&M apo refractor at f/5 with Borg .85x flattener/reducer and Canon 5DMkII at ISO 800 for stack of 4 x 10 minute exposures, Median combined. Used Celestron CGEM mount and Sky-Watcher SynGuider on William Optics 66mm guidescope. All seemed to work well.$

M103 & NGC 663 (105mm 5DII).jpg
$NGC 663 (left of centre) and M103 (bottom right) open clusters in Cassiopeia. NGC 654 is at upper centre and NGC 659 bottom centre. Faint cluster IC 166 is at far left. Taken Nov 5, 2010 with 105mm A&M apo refractor at f/5 with Borg .85x flattener/reducer and Canon 5DMkII at ISO 800 for stack of 4 x 10 minute exposures, Median combined. Used Celestron CGEM mount and Sky-Watcher SynGuider on William Optics 66mm guidescope. All seemed to work well.$

M103 & NGC 663 (105mm 5DII) with...jpg
M103 & NGC 663 Cass Clusters (92...jpg
$Messier 10 globular cluster in Ophiuchus taken July 30, 2011 from home with 130mm Astro-Physics refractor and Canon 7D camera, for stack of 5 x 5 minute exposures at ISO 1600 and f/6. Some trailing. Object was low in southwest.$

M10 Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus (1...jpg