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Hyades & NGC 1647 (SQA55 R5).jpg
This is the nearby Hyades star cluster in the face of Taurus the Bull, framed to also include the star cluster NGC 1647 at upper left between the horns of the Bull. The bright orange giant star Aldebaran is at bottom, but it is not part of the Hyades as such, lying about halfway between Earth and the Hyades — Aldebaran being 66 light years away vs 147 light years for the Hyades. The yellow and blue double star at bottom is Theta Tauri.
The field has been exposed and processed to bring out the star colours and the faint dusty and brownish nebulosity that permeates Taurus. Embedded in the darkest region of nebulosity at centre is the brighter nebula Sharpless 2-239. In the dark region at top right is the brighter nebula NGC 1554, sometimes called Struve's Lost Nebula.
The field of view is 7.8º by 5.2º, so is similar to binoculars, though this long exposure shows much more than can be seen by eye in any optics.
The Hyades is also catalogued as Melotte 25 and Caldwell 41.
Technical:
This is a stack of 24 x 3 minute exposures with the Askar SQA55 astrographic refractor at its native f/4.8 focal ratio, and with the stock 45-megapixel Canon R5 camera at ISO 800. No filter was employed here. It was on the Sky-Watcher GTI mount, autoguided with the ASIAir and ZWO guide camera on the Rouz Astro 50mm guidescope. Taken from home on a very fine winter night January 25, 2025.
The field has been exposed and processed to bring out the star colours and the faint dusty and brownish nebulosity that permeates Taurus. Embedded in the darkest region of nebulosity at centre is the brighter nebula Sharpless 2-239. In the dark region at top right is the brighter nebula NGC 1554, sometimes called Struve's Lost Nebula.
The field of view is 7.8º by 5.2º, so is similar to binoculars, though this long exposure shows much more than can be seen by eye in any optics.
The Hyades is also catalogued as Melotte 25 and Caldwell 41.
Technical:
This is a stack of 24 x 3 minute exposures with the Askar SQA55 astrographic refractor at its native f/4.8 focal ratio, and with the stock 45-megapixel Canon R5 camera at ISO 800. No filter was employed here. It was on the Sky-Watcher GTI mount, autoguided with the ASIAir and ZWO guide camera on the Rouz Astro 50mm guidescope. Taken from home on a very fine winter night January 25, 2025.
- Copyright
- © Alan Dyer/AmazingSky.com
- Image Size
- 8192x5464 / 30.4MB
- www.amazingsky.com
- Contained in galleries
- Star Clusters, NGC/IC Objects

