NGC 2287 (M41) cluster covers an area about the size of the full moon. It contains about 100 stars, including several red giants the brightest of which has spectral type K3, apparent magnitude 6.3 and is near the center, and some white dwarfs. The cluster is estimated to be moving away from us at 23.3 km/s. The diameter of the cluster is 25–26 light-years. It is estimated to be 190 million years old, and cluster properties and dynamics suggest a total life expectancy of 500 million years for this cluster, before it will have disintegrated.
I took this on March 4th with my Celestron 9.25 scope, ZWO ASI 2600 MC Pro camera, No filter, I was on my way to shoot M43 and used this star cluster to focus. .
Object Designation: NGC 2287 M41
Also known as: Little Beehive Cluster
Constellation: Canis Majoris
Object Type: Star Cluster
Distance: 1500 light-years away
Magnitude: 6.3
Discovery: Giovanni Batista Hodierna before 1654
This final image is:
16 – 4 second subs at 100 gain – no filter
26 – 2 second subs at 100 gain – no filter
24 – 1 second subs at 100 gain – no filter
