Open Cluster M41

[Geoff45]

http://www.astrobin.com/169161/

I don't often photograph open clusters. I think they are more satisfying visually. However I decided to do this one as a filler while waiting for my real object to rise a bit higher.
Telescope: PlaneWave CDK 12.5"
Camera: FLI Proline 16803
Mount: AP900
Exposure: R, G and B all 4 x400"
FOV: 48' x 48'
Processing: PixInsight

[Placidus]

Geoff, that's very pleasing. The star colours and shapes and the overall feel are most aesthetic. Nice to see an open cluster that isn't just a bunch of blue-white stars. This one seems to have quite a few that have moved to the red giant phase, which makes it interesting and photogenic.

[RickS]

I don't know why we overlook them photographically, Geoff. Very pretty...

[Geoff45]

Thanks Mike. Nice how you always see the astrophysics.


Thanks Rick. Maybe because they don't present any challenge?
Geoff

[IanP]

Very nice, Geoff .. :thumbsup:
Looks like a coloured version of one of the first B&W TV games: Space Invaders :D

[Geoff45]

Thanks Ian

[strongmanmike]

A rather lovely cluster image Geoff, beauty in its simplicity, thanks for shooting it :)

We should do more of these sort of images huh? So many less famous features of our sky get too little attention. I guess if we had more clear sky time we wouldn't feel so pressured into doing the brighter more flamboyant stuff, we all wait for the arias and sadly can overlook the beautiful signing in between :)

Mike

[Geoff45]

Thanks Mike. Very poetic. The thing about open clusters is that they don't need oodles of exposure time, so spending an hour or so imaging them won't "waste" much imaging time.
Geoff

[Ross G]

A beautiful photo Geoff.

Amazing colours and so sharp.

Ross.

[Geoff45]

Thanks a lot Ross