| Designation(s) | C54, NGC 2506 |
| Object Type(s) | Open Cluster |
| Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Caldwell, NGC |
| Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 17', 073° 57' |
| Constellation | Monoceros |
| Date and Time Observed | 2025-04-30 21:30:00 |
| Instrument | EdgeHD 8" f10-2,032mm FL |
| Camera | ASI2600MC-Pro |
| Image Details | Up is 268.8 degrees E of N. Transparency: Poor. Seeing: Fair. Total integration time was 5m. Exposures 15s@101g, UV/IR Cut Filter. Hot and cold pixel removal. Dithered and recentered in SharpCap. No guiding. |
| Description | Captured in late twilight, at around 20° altitude, with a thin cloud layer playing havoc with transparency. Still, I was pleased with the final result given the circumstances. This is an attractive open cluster originally discovered by William Herschel in 1791. The large blue stars in the image are "blue stragglers", blue stars that are larger than "main sequence" blue stars... thought to be the result of star-mergers resulting from close proximity. I've encountered them in globular clusters; they are less common in open clusters. What else to say? The pattern of stars reminds me of a "Daddy Long Legs" spider. |
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