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Rigil Kentaurus, Alpha Centauri (77mm 5DII).jpg
Alpha Centauri, or Rigil Kentaurus, the brightest star in Centaurus and the nearest star system to the Sun. It is a pair of Sun-like stars 4 light years away. This is a superb double star but is not resolved here. The star cluster NGC 5617 appears to the right of Alpha. Below NGC 5617 are the sparse clusters Trumpler 22 (left) and Lynga 2 (right).
Proxima Centauri is in the field at lower right but is lost amid all the stars and does not stand out as a bright red star t show in an illustration.
The area is rich in dark nebulas. High haze added some natural star glows here — no filter was used.
Technical:
I shot this April 3, 2016 from the Tibuc Cottage, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia using the 77mm f/4 astrographic refractor and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII, for a stack of 4 x 5 minute exposures at ISO 1600. Reprocessed in 2025.
Proxima Centauri is in the field at lower right but is lost amid all the stars and does not stand out as a bright red star t show in an illustration.
The area is rich in dark nebulas. High haze added some natural star glows here — no filter was used.
Technical:
I shot this April 3, 2016 from the Tibuc Cottage, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia using the 77mm f/4 astrographic refractor and filter-modified Canon 5D MkII, for a stack of 4 x 5 minute exposures at ISO 1600. Reprocessed in 2025.
- Copyright
- © Alan Dyer 2016
- Image Size
- 5618x3746 / 18.1MB
- www.amazingsky.photoshelter.com
- Contained in galleries
- Star Clusters, Stars, NGC/IC Objects

