Deep Sky Object in Spring
Mel. 111 (Open Cluster in Coma Berenices)


Date & Time: Mar 8 2019, from 26:43 to 26:57 JST(+0900)
Composed 8 shots with 2 minutes exposed
Optical: AF zoom-Nikkor ED 80-200mmF2.8 (f=105mm, stop: F4.0)
with Kenko Softon[A] filter
Auto-guided with TAKAHASHI JP Equatorial
Digital Camera: Nikon D810A
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(7360×4912)
Device Size...FX format (36×24mm)
Sensitivity...ISO1600, White Balance...Daylight


Mel.111 / Open Cluster, type c, III 3 r
R.A.12h 25m 00s (2000.0)
Dec.+26° 08' 00" (2000.0)
Apparent Size275'
Real Size22 light yrs.
# of Stars80
Magnitude2.7
Distance260 light yrs.
You'll notice fine stars gathering just north-east of Leo's tail. This group is a huge open cluster Mel.111 very close to us of about 260 light years away.
There is another huge cluster of the Hyades in winter sky. Mel.111 has a different impression from Hyades that includes bright stars like Aldebaran. Mel.111 includes about 80 stars with third or fourth magnitudes, looks like a triangle on the whole. The cluster occupies almost all area of the constellation of Coma Berenices.
At just south of the cluster, there is one of the closest galactic clusters of the Virgo Cluster. Therefore many galaxies are scattered in Coma Berenices; some of those can be enjoyed with small telescopes. It can be said that a very neighbored open cluster inner-Galaxy and a galactic cluster extremely apart from us about several ten-millions light years outer space are seen adjacent in spring skies.



M67
M3

Copyright(c) 2019 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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