Open Cluster in Cygnus

View larger image

This nice open cluster is easy to find, as it is located less than a degree to the north of second magnitude Sadr (gamma Cygni), which marks the heart of Cygnus the Swan. In this rich region on the Milky Way, the cluster is surrounded by bright and dark nebulae. The mixture of bright and dim stars makes it an interesting object to observe.

Image details:  Exposure times of 33 minutes luminance and 15 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG ST-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/6.

August 2015