M36 / NGC 1960 / Pinwheel Cluster

Designation(s)M36, NGC 1960
Object Type(s)Open Cluster
Relevant Catalog(s)All (Chron), Messier, NGC
Obs. Lat/Long42° 17', 073° 57'
ConstellationAuriga
Date and Time Observed2024-04-20 21:40:00
InstrumentSeeStar S50 f5.0-250mm FL
CameraBuilt-in IMX462 Sensor
Image DetailsTotal integration time was 5m. Exposures 10s@auto gain. 93% moon; intermittent high clouds. Darks subtracted, no flats. .
DescriptionThird capture of a strange evening when it rained right up to the moment it cleared around 9 PM. Because of the 93% moon, I had planned to capture a number of Messier objects, mostly clusters, using my EdgeHD. However, because of the late rain, I couldn't set up in advance, so I decided to observe with the SeeStar instead. The Pinwheel Cluster is famous. According to Wikipedia it was discovered prior to 1654, and the astronomer Giovanni Hodiema described it as a "fuzzy patch" (which gives you some idea of the mediocre telescope he was using).
Catalog Links
 Messier Listings 
Featured Image