M38 — Starfish Cluster
Open Cluster in Auriga
About
The Starfish Cluster, an open cluster in Auriga about 3,500 light-years away with around 100 known stars. Its brightest members form a Pi-like or oblique-cross pattern, and its brightest star is a yellow giant.
Imaging tips
- About 21′ across: 1,150–1,920 mm on APS-C frames it well.
- One imager gathered about 2.5 hours of RGB in 3- and 5-minute subs over several nights, plus Hα, at roughly 1.1″ per pixel.
- The brightest star is a yellow giant; the imager calibrated colour and then added saturation to the star cores with a mask.
- M38 sits in a wide field with M36 and M37, which one 85 mm frame captured together.
- Best in November and December.
Facts
- Size
- 21′
- Magnitude
- 6.4
- Coordinates
- RA 5h 28.7m, Dec +35° 50′
- Framing, APS-C
- 1150–1920 mm
- Framing, full frame
- 1770–2950 mm
- Best months
- Nov, Dec
- Peak altitude
- 76° from 50°N, 89° from 35°N