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M67 Cluster in Cancer (EDQ86 R5).jpg
This is a close-up telescopic view of the moderately bright (magnitude 6.7) star cluster Messier 67 in Cancer. It is sometimes called the King Cobra cluster. Despite being easy to see in binoculars, M67 tends to be ignored in favour of its brighter and larger fellow cluster in Cancer, M44, the Beehive.
M67 is notable for being one of the oldest open star clusters known, with an age of about 4 billion years. As such it lacks any blue stars as they are large, hot, and short-lived. Indeed, M67 looks notably yellow. Its position high above the plane of the Milky Way keeps it away from the destructive differential rotation and tidal effects of the Galaxy.
The bright star at left is 4th magnitude Alpha Cancri, aka Acubens.
Several faint 15th magnitude galaxies from the PGC and UGC catalogues inhabit the field. Taken on a night with some high haze fuzzing the stars a little, a photogenic effect.
The field is 3.4º by 2.3º.
Technical:
This is a stack of 11 x 5 minute exposures with the Astro-Tech EDQ86 apo refractor at its native f/7 focal ratio, using the Canon R5 at ISO 800. On the Astro-Physics AP400 mount autoguided with the Lacerta MGEN3 guider. Shot from home on a mild winter night in January 2025.
M67 is notable for being one of the oldest open star clusters known, with an age of about 4 billion years. As such it lacks any blue stars as they are large, hot, and short-lived. Indeed, M67 looks notably yellow. Its position high above the plane of the Milky Way keeps it away from the destructive differential rotation and tidal effects of the Galaxy.
The bright star at left is 4th magnitude Alpha Cancri, aka Acubens.
Several faint 15th magnitude galaxies from the PGC and UGC catalogues inhabit the field. Taken on a night with some high haze fuzzing the stars a little, a photogenic effect.
The field is 3.4º by 2.3º.
Technical:
This is a stack of 11 x 5 minute exposures with the Astro-Tech EDQ86 apo refractor at its native f/7 focal ratio, using the Canon R5 at ISO 800. On the Astro-Physics AP400 mount autoguided with the Lacerta MGEN3 guider. Shot from home on a mild winter night in January 2025.
- Copyright
- © Alan Dyer/AmazingSky.com
- Image Size
- 8223x5479 / 17.0MB
- www.amazingsky.com
- Contained in galleries
- Messier Objects, Star Clusters

