Deep Sky Object in Summer
M26 (Open Cluster in Scutum)


Date & Time: Jul 17 2021, from 24:01 to 24:37 JST(+0900)
Composed 10 shots with 4 minutes exposed
Optical: Meade 25cm(10") Schmidt-Cassegrain with conversion lens (f=1600mm, F6.3)
with BaaderPlanetarium Moon&Skyglow filter
Auto-guided with Meade LX200 Equatorial & Lacerta M-GEN
Digital Camera: Nikon D810A
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(4080×4080)
Device Size...20×20mm
Sensitivity...ISO4000, White Balance...Daylight


M26 (NGC6694) / Open Cluster, type f, II 3 m
R.A.18h 45m 12.0s (2000.0)
Dec.-09° 24' 00" (2000.0)
Apparent Size9.0'
Real Size13 light yrs.
# of Stars30
Magnitude9.3
Distance4900 light yrs.
M26 is a small open cluster bathed in the Small-Star Cloud of Scutum that is a bright and noticeable part of the summer's Milky Way. It may be interesting to compare the cluster with another bright one of M11 in same constellation. M26 is much more indistinct than M11, only 20 or more fine stars can be counted. You need conditioned night sky to enjoy its pretty view through binoculars or small telescopes. But there is a lump of dark cloud stretched toward the cluster so you can recognize M26 without buried under the light of Milky Way. M26 is lying about 5000 light-years away, a bit closer than M11.



M25
M29

Copyright(c) 2021 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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