Messier 45 in the Constellation Taurus

 

The Pleiades open star cluster visible within the stars of Taurus. Image Credit: Pip Stakkert

"Last night there was a three hour break in the clouds over Oulton Broad and Messier45, or the Pleiades open star cluster, was visible above the Observatory. As we have never imaged this target at a low to intermediate focal length, we decided to give it a go. The image is from a stack of 1 minute and 2 minute exposures at ISO1600. Just over 2 hours of data in total was used to create the image. The equipment employed was: a modded Canon 200d DSLR, a triband filter and a Samyang 135mm F2 lens, (the F ratio was increased by using filter rings). The cluster is quite close to us at 444 light years and is clearly visible to the naked eye on a dark and clear winter's night. The 'reflection nebulosity' is being created by starlight reflected from a cloud of gas, which the hot blue cluster stars are currently moving through. The reflection nebula cannot be seen with the naked eye but if you can see and count seven stars you have excellent eyesight". - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

'The Seven Sisters' reprocess, rotate and crop. Image Credit: Kurt Thrust

" In the end, Messier45 is all about the nebulous gas cloud the cluster is currently moving through. I therefore asked Kurt Thrust to reprocess the data and emphasise the 'wispy nebulosity' which surrounds the brighter elements" - Carl Segine  Outreach Officer at the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

'It's all about the gas' Image Credit: Kurt Thrust.

The Seven Sisters

 

The Pleiades  asterism in the Constellation Taurus; Jodrell Plank Observatory mini rig. Altair Lightwave 66mm doublet refractor, Canon 600d DSLR on Star Adventurer EQ mount. Credit: Kurt Thrust.

Pleiades map credit: By NASA, ESA and AURA/Caltech - Hubble Refines Distance to Pleiades Star Cluster (STScI-2004-20), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17899258

"The freeware Starnet GUI works its magic on the Pleiades asterism bringing out detail in the the reflection nebulae. This group of young hot blue stars is currently passing through a cloud of interstellar dust which reflects the starlight. The Pleiades or the Seven Sisters is a relatively close open cluster of stars and is estimated to be some 444 light years distant from the Earth. The data for the image was captured at the Jodrell Plank Observatory in 2018"-. George Hammer resident geologist at he Jodrell Plank Observatory. 

Cropped image with colour of excited hydrogen gas enhanced. Credit: Pip Stakkert

Cropped version with reflection nebulosity enhanced (Kurt's favourite)