[TrevorW]

Target: NGC2477
Camera: Canon 350d Unmodified
Exposure Capture: DLSR focus
Scope: Skywatcher 120 f/5 Achromat
Mount: EQ6 Pro
Exposure Setting: Prime focus, ISO800 ICNR off Daylight WB
Exposures: 3 x 3 minutes 9 minutes taken 13/1/09
Seeing: Average
Guiding: Orion Starshoot Autoguider using PHD
Focus: DSLR Focus
Stacking: PS CS3
Processing: PS7, PS CS3, PSP
(note: PHD failed due to low cloud I left the scope unattended)

Info: Situated in the Puppis

This cluster was discovered by Abbe Lacaille when he was in South Africa during 1751-1752.
Burnham states this is "probably the finest of the galactic clusters in Puppis," but not in Messier's catalog and many other observing lists as it is situated to much south. However, where it comes sufficiently high over the horizon, it is a splendid rich cluster of over 300 stars, crowded in a 20' field, situated about 2.5 deg NW from 2.25 mag, extremely hot O5 supergiant Zeta Puppis (this star, at 2,400 light years distance, is one of the brightest stars known, with absolute mag -7.1, corresponding to 60,000 solar luminosities).
The brightest star of NGC 2477 is of mag 9.81, the hottest of spectral type B8. The cluster's age has been estimated at about 700 million years (Sky Catalog 2000.0)