Star Cluster  Back to Photo Gallery - Star Cluster
 Collinder 399 - The Coat Hanger 
Low Resolution            Mid Resolution            High Resolution            Full Resolution

About:
Is this coat hanger a star cluster or an asterism? This cosmic hang-up has been debated over much of last century, as astronomers wondered whether this binocular-visible object is really a physically associated open cluster or a chance projection. Chance star projections are known as asterisms, an example of which is the popular Big Dipper. Recent precise measurements from different vantage points in the Earth's orbit around the Sun have uncovered discrepant angular shifts indicating that the Coat Hanger is better described as an asterism. Known more formally as Collinder 399, this bright stellar grouping is wider than the full moon and lies in the constellation of the Fox (Vulpecula). [Text adapted from APOD]



Pubblications "Flickr" Explore - August 04, 2017
Optics: Takahashi FSQ-106EDXIII F/5 530mm. - APO Refractor
Mount: AP Mach1 GTO
Camera: Moravian G3-16200
Filters: Astrodon E Series Gen II LRGB 50mm
Guiding Systems: SX Lodestar
Dates/Times: 26-27 May 2017 / 02 June 2017
Location: Pragelato - Turin - Italy
Exposure Details: L:R:G:B => 150:90:90:90 = > (30x5):(18x5):(18x5):(18x5) All Bin1 [num x minutes]
Cooling Details: -25 °C
Acquisition: Maxim DL/CCD, Voyager
Processing: CCDStack2+, PS CS5
Mean FWHM: 1.48 / 2.16
SQM-L: 20.37 / 20.44