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)
... 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).
Yes I'm a big an of both this cluster (nice pic) and in particular the star Zeta Puppis (Naos). It is in fact my most favourite'st star of the lot and I was just admiring it while bobing around in the pool outside (its still 27 deg C here just before midnight).
Courtesy of Jim Kaler that paints the picture well. It is probably the most powerful star within 1000 ly of the Sun, the earliest O-type (O5) bright naked eye star in the sky, the 2nd brightest O-Type star in the whole sky after Zeta Orionis and shines with a total luminosity 360,000 times greater than the Sun.
That's better....more natural look. But I like the xmassy feeling of the first shot It's a far "prettier" piccie
You know, even though your scope is an achromatic, the amount of fringe doesn't detract from the piccie. Have you thought of grabbing a baader fringe killer filter?
One thing I'd like to query from the Sky Catalog notes. B8, at 700Ma... I don't think so!!. Nominally, a B8V star would be around 3.3 - 3.5M solar. Even at the lower end, that would mean a main sequence lifetime of only 505 million years. Unless it's a B8III-II, but then that would make it about B6-7 when it was on the Main Sequence...even worse. A more likely spectral class would be A0-A2 given that 700Ma would mean a mass around 2.8M solar, if on the MS. A good example of a similar star would be Regulus.
Last edited by renormalised; 15-01-2009 at 06:57 PM.
That's better....more natural look. But I like the xmassy feeling of the first shot It's a far "prettier" piccie
You know, even though your scope as an achromatic, the amount of fringe doesn't detract from the piccie. Have you thought of grabbing a baader fringe killer filter?
I usually use the SV80ED for astro but I thought I'd try the 120 f/5 achro for a change due to it's larger aperture.
Filters IMO are way too expensive, $200 plus for a 2" piece of glass doesn't cut it with me unfortunately.
I usually use the SV80ED for astro but I thought I'd try the 120 f/5 achro for a change due to it's larger aperture.
Filters IMO are way too expensive, $200 plus for a 2" piece of glass doesn't cut it with me unfortunately.
Cheers
You know, regardless of the fringe, I'd use it on some targets...it's actually not that bad. Plus, some clever processing might reduce the fringe anyway. An apo is better, but it's way more expensive.
You know, regardless of the fringe, I'd use it on some targets...it's actually not that bad. Plus, some clever processing might reduce the fringe anyway. An apo is better, but it's way more expensive.
The primary problem with this image is the lack of data being only 9 minutes a lot of colour and depth hasn't been acheived.
If I had the 1 hrs data I was aimimg for hopefully it would have been a pearler.
Alas it will have to wait for another night it's 9:30pm in Perth and still 34c expecting 42 tommorow.
Nice image Trevor. I thought you might cop some flack over the difraction spikes. I did. I have to admitt I like the image without the spikes in this case as they tended to clutter the image a bit. Remember it's your image and if you like them it's up to you anyway.
Keep at it mate.
and with all those spikes, 
indeed, 
actually mate it was quite good 
