Open Cluster in Cygnus
This small but distinctive cluster contains about 8 bright stars and many dimmer ones. It is a nice object to view at low power because it stands out well against the background stars. The cluster lies about 5000 light years away.
Through a tlescope, the cluster can be seen against a background that is filled with stars from the Milky Way but otherwise appears dark. However, in this image, one can see that Messier 29 and the surrounding area are bathed in dim nebulosity, with brighter and darker patches here and there.
| Magnitude | 6.6 |
| Apparent Size | 7' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 5,000 |
| Right Ascension | 20:23.9 |
| Declination | +38 32 |
Image details: Exposure times of 30 minutes luminance, and 9 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG ST-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/6.
October 2014