Messier35 or NGC2168 in the Constellation Gemini

 

Messier35 is a rather splendid binocular open star cluster in the constellation Gemini the twins. Widefield image taken with the Canon 600d DSLR and zoom lens at f=50mm. A stack of RAW lights at ISO1600.Infra-red data was added to the base image from the WISE space telescope Image credit: Pip Stakkert, NASA and Astrometry.net

" The majority of data used in creating this image was collected at the Jodrell Plank Observatory. Sadly the atmosphere ,which keeps us all alive, is largely opaque to mid infra-red radiation, which originates from hot interstellar gas and dust. The NASA's WISE space telescope sits above the atmosphere in low earth orbit and collects radiation at this wavelength. Pip Stakkert has used his image processing skills to add this data to ours and create this interesting combined image with a high dynamic range.

The cluster is 2900 light years distant and thought to include over 1600 stars distributed over part of the sky with an apparent size equivalent to the full Moon. Within a central volume of  approximate diameter equivalent to thirty arc seconds, there are over 400 stars 64 of which are binary pairs. There are a number of variable stars within the cluster and one star's spectrum shows emission lines. Messier 35 is 175 million years old, a relative youngster in the night sky. Another star cluster, but much further away (line of sight proximity only) NGC2158, is just south and west of M35". - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

This is the Jodrell Plank data without the added infra-red WISE data. By comparison you can see how the infra-red adds to the dynamic range of the image! 

Location map showing the footprint of our image. You can see that M35 sits at the feet of Gemini and between Auriga, Orion and Taurus.

WISE space telescope (NASA)