Messier 39

Observation Notes:

A bright, large, open cluster with a couple dozen bright stars and many more dimmer ones. It filled the 1.4 degree field of view. The main area fits in about a half degree area. All stars appear to be white. I saw quite a lot of double stars evident throughout the cluster.

Factoids:

M39 is a 230 to 300 million year old cluster that resides about 800 light years away. Within its 7 light year diameter, there are about 30 proven members, with from 50 to 100 stars suspected to be members. It is moving toward us at 28 km/sec.

While Charles Messier catalogued M39 in 1764, there is some contention that Le Gentil discovered it in 1750, and that Aristotle noted it as a cometary object in 325 BC.

SubjectM39/NGC 7092
ClassificationOpen Cluster
PositionCygnus [RA: 21:32.2 / Dec: +48:26]*
Size*32'
Brightness*4.6
Date/Time10/14/04 - 10:40 PM
Observing Loc.Flagstaff, AZ - Home
InstrumentOrion SVP 6LT Reflector (150 mm dia./1200 mm F/L)
Eyepieces/Mag.32 mm (37X)
Seeing3/10
TransparencyMag 5.8

* Based on published data.

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This page contains a single entry by Jeremy Perez published on October 14, 2004 10:40 PM.

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