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| M39, An open cluster - this image cropped and reduced from the original photo |
| M39 is a very large but very loose open cluster, situated high in the sky during the northern hemisphere's summer. It is within the Milky Way some 9 degrees east and a bit north of Deneb. Its distance is only about 800 light years from us, with only 30 stars within 7 light years of each other as proven members. Its apparent visual brightness of 4.6 magnitude and 32 arc minute size make it an easy binocular object. M39's brightest star is of magnitude 6.83. It is of late intermediate age between 230 and 300 million years old. Because of it's age, many of the brightest stars are apparently just before the point of evolution toward the red giant phase. |
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10"
F6.3 Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope, (1600mm F.L.) Canon 300D camera, placed at the scope's prime focus |