Page Title

M 45 The Pleiades 1.30.2008
Image Capture Details

Optics: Meade LX200 14 GPS
Mount: Meade LX200
Camera: Canon 350XT
Filters: Astronomik LPS

Focal Ratio: F/2 Using HyperStar

Guiding: None

Exposure:
96X 30 Seconds = 48 Minutes
Time: 7:45: - 9:30:35PM EST
Location: Waldwick, NJ

M45 (The Pleiades) 1 star cluster, M45, lies at
a distance of 380 light years and is one of the
most recognized clusters in the sky. It is
visible to the unaided eye even in light
polluted skies. In moderate skies, 6 of the
brightest stars shine in a distinctly "dipper"
shape. As many as nine stars are readily
visible in darker skies. The cluster consists
of approximately 500 stars of varying
magnitude and extends across a diameter of
about 2 degrees. This equates to the
diameter of 4 times that of the full moon.
The Pleiades is also known as "The Seven
Sisters". This is a reference to the seven
daughters of the Greek gods Atlas and
Pleione.

1 http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m045.html