Starclusters M46 & M47

Hi all, I had a nice clear night for a while Wednesday night, and I decided to have a go at imaging thses two lovely star clusters east of Sirius in the winter milkyway M46 and M47. Both are very near each other, and area lovely sight in binoculars or a telescope.

However, that's all that they have in common, since they both look very different. M47 is loose, larger in area, and has brighter stars, while M46 is smaller but has many more fainter stars. Also is a nice bonus, at the top of M46, you can just make out a Planeatry nebula NGC 2438 as the blue small ring. Not the best shot in the world, but it's the best I could do with my zoom lens... :roll:


Keith..

That is a really cool image. Two very different clusters imaged in the same FOV. I really really like it.

I cant find the nebula you mentioned.

Ahhhhhhhhhh ok i see it NOW. Small blue smudge just above.

Hi Keith

Fantastic pic, nice capture, two of my fav clusters for bins and scope. Any chance you could post a few more details on the exposure etc

thanks

Agreed, a lovely area in binoculars, if they were situated higher in our skies, they would be more favoured.

Detail: Canon 400D, a crop of a shot at 135mm lens at f4, a stack of 6 90second exposures at ISO 800, camera piggybacked on a C8 SCT.

Keith..

Hi Keith,

Lovely image and as you said, a beautiful sight in binoculars to see the two clusters in the same field of view. You also captured NGC 2423 which is the smaller grouping just about M47 (M47 is the cluster on the right of the Messier pairing)

Might I suggest another shot at the area but to zoom out a little and also capture the lesser well known cluster Melotte 71 that is situated just 2 degrees above M46/M47?

All the best,

John

Next clear night i am gonna chase these 2 clusters and also the double cluster in Perseus.