Messier Challenge - M46 Open Star Cluster and NGC 2438

M46 in Puppis 22nd March 2020 @ 21:23 UT

A large and very rich star cluster with the added bonus of NGC 2438 a planetary nebula. These objects really impressed me.

M46 and NGC 2437 - Puppis

Image: 15 seconds x 30 frames (450 seconds total), gain 6584, bin 2x2, Raw 14, black level 99, camera temperature 9.8 deg C, 1 dark. Stacked in SharpCap Pro 3.2.6248.0. The image was stacked and adjusted in SharpCap. The image was scaled down and cropped in GIMP.

Equipment: Celestron CPC-800 at F5.9, Alt-Az mount, Altair Astro Hypercam 294C Pro Cooled (fan), Celestron Focuser, CPWI controlled remotely via Microsoft RDP and ASCOM.

Astrometry: M46 4,900 light years distance, magnitude 6. Charles Messier discovered M46 in 1771.

NGC 2438 5,500 light years distance, magnitude 11.5.