Southern Pleiadies IC 2602

[avandonk]

Even though Moon was around managed to get this. The longer exposures were taken after Moonset.

Large Image 1.5MB
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~trlee8/IC2602.jpg

Details
Canon 5DH, 100ED with AP FR/FF. Hutech LPR filter. seven doublings of exposure from 30s at an ISO of 100 to 4 min at an ISO of 800,five exposures for each level. Ten exposures for last two sets. The fridge was used and the temperature inside was -7.5 C. ICNR on.
Images plus for conversion from RAW to TIFFand correction for flats. RegiStar for stacking and alignment. EasyHDR used to produce final image.

Could be a bit too much blue but I like it. I hope you all do too. I am quite new at clusters. Does anyone know what the small blue cluster is designated as?

Bert

[glenc (Glen)]

Thanks Bert, Melotte 101 is also visible on the RHS in that shot. Dunlop found D 258 = Mel 101.
Lacaille discovered IC 2602 in 1751, Dunlop recorded it in his notes in 1826 but not in his catalog and John Herschel also left it out of his catalog.

[Dietmar]

hi Bert,

very nice image of that cluster! I did not know there is a cluster with the name "the southern plejades" (-: I only know the northern ones,...since I sit on the northern hemisphere... (-:
cool pic!

[Dennis]

A very Cool image Bert – literally and metaphorically!

Cheers

Dennis

[Stephen65]

Nice image, I was looking at this cluster last night but I didn't see quite so many stars through the eyepiece

[CoombellKid]

Top shot and as Glen mentioned you've captured Melotte 101 beatifully
too, along with IC2602 I called this the southern double cluster.

regards,CS

[erick (Eric)]

People seem to like the "Five of Diamonds" when I show it to them!

Thanks for the image, Bert

[tornado33]

Lovely shot, I can see why the cluster got its name, much like the northern pliades.

Going on the sky background, no I dont think there is excess blue
Scott

[jase (Jason)]

A pleasing aesthetic image Bert. Well done.

[Garyh]

Very nice Bert, that reflection neb is very faint! but you have caught it.

[glenc (Glen)]

What is the name of the reflection nebulae?
Guide 8 shows GN 10.43.1 but it is only 30" diam.

[Alchemy (Clive)]

thats the first time i have seen the reflection neb around it that ive noticed, something i didnt know ... well done.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Lovely shot, nice FOV for this cluster, really looks like it is floating around amongst the stars

Mike

[avandonk]

The blue 'haze' around the bright stars could be due to a combination of scatter from the objective and or the LPS filter. Atmospheric scatter could also contribute. When stars are this bright even a tiny percentage of reflections from the bright source show up. Even multiple reflections can then be an artefact.

This is always a problem with bright objects and long exposures. This can be easily checked by offsetting the object and see if the artefact occurrs the same distance on the opposite side of the optics axis if due to the optic. If due to filters etc closer to the sensor the artefact will be offset slightly away from center from the object that causes it.

If it is atmospheric it will simply follow the object.

Is a sunset any less beautiful if you consider it is due to atmospheric Rayleigh scattering and therefore an artefact?

This is only a problem if you start to think it is real. Just google Baxendell's Unphotographable Nebula for a classic case of an artefact mistaken for a real object. Canals on Mars is another that comes to mind. These were both visual artefacts.

The old axiom of believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see serves as a good warning when looking for the "Truth".

Bert

[Ric]

A very nice widefield Bert. the colours look great as is the composition.

Cheers