M34
$1.00
| Description | Messier 34 (also known as M34, NGC 1039, or the Perseus Spiral Cluster) is a large and relatively nearby open cluster in the constellation Perseus. It was probably discovered by Giovanni Battista Hodierna before 1654 and included in Charles Messier’s catalog of comet-like objects in 1764. Messier described it as, “A cluster of small stars a little below the parallel of γ (Andromedae). In an ordinary telescope of 3 feet one can distinguish the stars.” |
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| Data/Processing Attribution | This is my data and processing. |
| Distances/Size | Distance to the object: 1,500 light-years; angular size in the sky is about 35’ (minutes); size of the cluster is about 7 light-years in diameter |
| Equipment | Mount-PlaneWave L-350; Scope-PlaneWave CDK14″, 356 mm aperture, 2563 mm focal length; Camera-Moravian C3-61000, 0.30 arcsec/pixel. |
