M41 - Open Star Cluster in Canis Major

 

Copyright 2008 Hap Griffin

M41 is an open cluster of some 100 stars, several of which are red giants.  The cluster is 25 light years in diameter and is about 200 million years old.  

M41lies at a distance of 2300 light years.

 

Date/Location:    February 2, 2008     Griffin/Hunter II Observatory    Bethune, SC
Instrument:    Canon 40D (modified IR filtering) Digital SLR through 10" Newtonian w/MPCC 
Focal Ratio:   f/ 4.7
Guiding:    SBIG ST-401 through Orion ED80
Conditions:    Cold and clear
Weather:    32 F
Exposure: 30 minutes total (30 x 1 minutes @ ISO 800)
Filters:    Baader UV/IR block internal to camera
Processing:    Focused and captured,  RAW to TIFF conversion, flat frame calibration, Digital Development, resizing and JPEG conversion in ImagesPlus.  Color correction in Photoshop CS2.  

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