The Beehive Star Cluster - M44
Open cluster in Cancer

            
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 One of the
            closest open star clusters to Earth, this large and splashy assemblage
            of stars hosts over 50 cluster members with an integrated magnitude
            of 3.1. With a size of over 95 arc minutes, it fits nicely within
            this 1.5 degree field of view. Consisting of mostly blue super
            giants, the cluster is also home to dozens of K type orange 
            giants as well - one forming the tip of the prominent V shaped
            asterism in the clusters center.

            
This cluster is
            also home to dozens of very faint galaxies, the brightest is
            the tiny edge on just below center - UGC4526, beaming dimly at
            15th magnitude and only 1.4 arc minutes long. The faintest galaxies
            in this image seem to be around magnitude 18 or so.

Optics:  8" f/4 Newtonian Astrograph w/Baader MPCC Coma Corrector
Platform:  Astrophysics AP1200  
Camera:  Hutech Modified Canon XTi @ ISO800
Exposure:  6 x 5m  = 30m
Location:  Payson, Arizona
Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing  4/10, Transparency 9/10
Outside Temperature:  35F
Processing Tools:  Photoshop CS2, Images Plus 3.82
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