C41 — Hyades
Open Cluster in Taurus
About
Open cluster in Taurus, about 153 light-years away and the closest one to the Sun, with hundreds of stars and an age near 625 million years. Orange Aldebaran looks like a member but is a foreground star about 65 light-years away, projected onto it.
Imaging tips
- Roughly 330′ across: 70–120 mm on APS-C or 110–190 mm on full frame frames it. A 135 mm f/2 lens and a six-panel mosaic are both reported.
- A broadband target: one imager found the stars and the faint background dust both look better without a filter.
- The dust is the Taurus Molecular Cloud, faint enough to want fast optics, dark skies and patience; one mosaic took 48 hours in total.
- Aldebaran will be in the frame, and Sh2-239 lies nearby, about 73′ away. Best around November and December; peaks near 57° altitude from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 330′
- Magnitude
- 0.5
- Coordinates
- RA 4h 29.8m, Dec +16° 57′
- Framing, APS-C
- 70–120 mm
- Framing, full frame
- 110–190 mm
- Best months
- Nov, Dec
- Peak altitude
- 57° from 50°N, 72° from 35°N
Nearby
- Sh2-239 · 72.6′ away