H-NGC1342
Open Cluster in Perseus
About
In Perseus, about 2,200 light-years off, NGC 1342 is a scattered group of stars aged near 400–450 million years. Sources give its width as anywhere from 17′ to 35′. William Herschel's 1799 find closed out his list of open clusters, and it carries the nicknames Stingray and Little Scorpion.
Imaging tips
- Dust surrounds the cluster: LBN 718, 719 and 720 are bright nebulae nearby, and LDN 1434 is a dark nebula to its east.
- A reflection nebula, vdB 18 (LBN 721), lies in the area too; it is lit by the variable star V496 Per and sits closer to us than the cluster.
- One imager shot LRGB in Ontario with 22 × 10 min luminance and 9, 6 and 12 × 10 min of R, G and B; the nebulosity fills much of that frame.
- A sample image on one deep-sky page used a 70 mm f/6 refractor and 8 hours of exposure to bring out the dust.
- For the cluster alone, 1730–2890 mm on APS-C (2650–4420 mm full frame) works. Surface brightness is 21.1 mag/arcsec²; best in October and November, peaking near 77° from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 14′
- Magnitude
- 6.7
- Coordinates
- RA 3h 31.6m, Dec +37° 23′
- Framing, APS-C
- 1730–2890 mm
- Framing, full frame
- 2650–4420 mm
- Best months
- Oct, Nov
- Peak altitude
- 77° from 50°N, 88° from 35°N