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TrevorW
25-11-2009, 09:04 PM
TARGET: NGC 2516 The Southern Beehive Cluster
Scope: GSO 8” RC
Mount: EQ6
GS: Stellarvue 80ED
GC: Orion SSAG
Main Camera: Modified Canon 350d
Filter: Astronomik LP clip filter
Camera Setting: ISO800 CWB RAW
Exposures: 9 frames x 8 minutes 1hr 12m (5darks, 5 flats applied) 24/11/2009
Focus: and Capture: DSLR Focus
Guiding: PHD
Seeing: Average, First Quarter Moon 50%
Processing: Stack DSS, PS CS3

Details:

Visual magnitude 3.8
Angular size 30'
Distance 1,300 light-years (400 pc)
R.A. 07h 58m 20s,
Dec. -60° 52'
Other designations Melotte 82, Collinder 172,
C 0757-607, OCl 776.0

Description:
The Southern Beehive Cluster (because of its similarity to M44, the Beehive Cluster) a southern open cluster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_cluster) NGC 2516 AKA The Diamond Cluster was discovered by Abbe Lacaille (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbe_Lacaille) in 1751-1752.
Called The Diamond Cluster because of its stellar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar) clarity. The cluster itself is easily visible with the naked eye from dark skies but binoculars will yield a much better view. The Diamond Cluster contains two beautiful 5th magnitude red giants (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_giants) and three double stars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_stars). A small telescope (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telescope) would be required to split the double stars. It contains about 100 stars that appear about the same size as a full moon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon).
NGC 2516 and the recently discovered nearby star cluster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_cluster) Mamajek 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mamajek_2&action=edit&redlink=1) in Ophiuchus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiuchus) have similar age and metallicity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallicity). Recently, kinematic evidence was presented by E. Jilinksi and coauthors that suggests that these two stellar groups may have formed in the same star-forming complex some 135 million years ago

alan meehan
25-11-2009, 09:54 PM
Thats a beautiful image nice and sharp and thanks for the info

Hagar
26-11-2009, 07:45 AM
Very nice Trevor. Looks like you have the collimation pretty close and I love your star colours.

Well done.

Ric
26-11-2009, 01:07 PM
Lovely work Trevor.

The colours look superb.

Cheers

marki
26-11-2009, 09:11 PM
Love the colours mate :thumbsup:.

Mark

TrevorW
26-11-2009, 09:39 PM
Thanks chaps I may have not got the blue colour in some of the stars any feedback on that most welcome