The Double Cluster consists of the open clusters NGC 869 and NGC 884 (often designated h Persei and χ Persei, respectively), which are close together in the constellation Perseus. Both visible with the naked eye, NGC 869 and NGC 884 lie at a distance of 7,500 light years.
There are more than 300 blue-white super-giant stars in each of the clusters. The clusters are also blueshifted, with NGC 869 approaching Earth at a speed of 39 km/s and NGC 884 approaching at a similar speed of 38 km/s.
Perseus is the mythological symbol of adventure. Perseus was born the son of the Greek god Zeus. Along with beheading Medusa, Perseus performed other heroic deeds as well, such as saving Andromeda who was a princess chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. Due to his great accomplishments, the gods placed Perseus among the stars, with the head of Medusa in one hand and the jewelled sword in the other. The Double Cluster represents the jewelled handle of Perseus’s sword.
Bron: wikipedia.
Technical info:
TS 80mm f6 APO triplet refractor
ZWO ASI 071MC Pro + TS 0,79 reducer. Temp: -5c – gain 0
Ioptron CEM 25p mount
Exposure: 70x 120sec
Total integration: ~ 2 hrs 10min
Acquisition: ASIAIR PRO
Post Processing: Astro Pixel Processor – Photoshop CS5 – Lightroom – Carboni’s actions