The Perseus Double Cluster, also known as NGC 869 and NGC 884, is a breathtaking double star cluster located in the constellation Perseus, approximately 7,500 light-years away from Earth.
The Double Cluster appears as two distinct clusters of stars, each consisting of hundreds of bright blue-white giants and supergiants, surrounded by a halo of fainter stars. The northern cluster, NGC 869, contains around 300 stars, while the southern cluster, NGC 884, boasts approximately 400 stars.
These stars are part of an open star cluster complex, born from the same molecular cloud about 10 million years ago.
Equipment:
Optics: TS-Photoline 80mm f/6 APO refractor.
Camera: ZWO ASI 533MC Pro.
Exposure: 38x240s
Acquisition software: NINA, PHD2
Processing: PixInsight, DarkTable
astro_31416
