Perseus Double Cluster - NGC 869/884 (Caldwell 14)
The Double Cluster in Perseus (NGC 869/884 or Caldwell 14) consists of a pair of naked-eye open star clusters in the constellation Perseus. Also known as h (NGC 869) and chi (NGC 884) Persei, the two clusters are located at distances of 7600 and 6800 light years, respectively. They are relatively close together in space. Based on analysis of individual stars, the ages of the two clusters are 5.6 million years (h) and 3.2 million years (chi).
For a higher power view of this object using the ASA N12 Astrograph, see Perseus Double Cluster (ASA N12).
Technical Details
- Object: Perseus Double Cluster
- Other Names: NGC 869/884, Caldwell 14, h & chi Persei
- Object Type: Open Star Cluster
- Other Names: h+X Persei, NGC 884 (X Persei) and NGC 869 (h Persei), Caldwell 14
- Date/Time: 2011 Jan 27 at 03:07 UTC
- Location: Bifrost Astronomical Observatory, Portal, AZ
- Telescope: Takahashi Epsilon 180 ED Hyperbolic Astrograph
- Camera: Nikon D300
- Mount: Astro-Physics 1200GTO
- Exposure: 4 x 300s, f/2.8, ISO 800
- File Name: hkPer-01w.jpg
- Processing: Stacking 4 Images, Cropping, Levels, Unsharp Mask (Photoshop CS5)
- Original Image Size: 2848 x 4288 pixels (12.2 MP); 9.5" x 14.3" @ 300 dpi
- Rights: Copyright 2011 by Fred Espenak. All Rights Reserved. See: Image Licensing.
