Brocchi's Cluster

Click image for larger version.

This open cluster is also known as the "Coat Hanger Cluster" because of the pattern made by the stars within the cluster.  This cluster contains only a couple of dozen stars and is most likely not a true cluster but merely a line of sight cluster.  This means the stars, while close together from our point of view are actually at substantially different distances.

This cluster is located in Vulpecula (the constellation of the fox) and is comparatively large at about 1 1/4 degrees across.  Its member stars are also quite bright ranging from magnitudes of about 5.1 to 6.8.  This makes this cluster a favorite for those that use "binos-on-a-stick" as my fellow OKCAC member, Glen Kilgour likes to call them.

This image has been modified just a bit in Photoshop with a touch of an artificial fog filter effect on the stars that make up the coat hanger profile to make them easier to pick out of the crowds.  The image has also been rotated 180 degrees so north is down in this view.

Date:  7/18/06

Location:  Home

Telescope:  Sigma 135-400 telephoto, f/5.6

Mount:  LXD55

Camera:  Hutech Modified Canon 350D, ISO 800

Exposure Count:  59 x 30 seconds, 29.5 minutes total exposure.

Guiding:  None