Messier 45 (M45)

Common Name: Pleiades

Also Known as: Seven Sisters, Subaru, Collinder 62, Melotte 22

Object Type: Open Cluster

Constellation: Taurus

Distance from Earth: 444 light years

Apparent Magnitude: 1.6

Coordinates: RA 03H 47M 24S DEC 24 deg 07 min 0 sec

Actual Size: 17.5 light years in diameter

Apparent Dimensions: 110 arc-minutes

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Environmental Data

Date: December 14, 2020     Start Time: 9:41PM     End Time: 2:17 AM     SQM: 21.11

Moon Age: 29.3 days     Moonset: 3:39PM     Moon Illumination:0.1%

Temperature: 36 degrees F    Humidity: 85%    Dew Point: 32 degrees F

Location: Westport, Massachusetts 02790    Sky Condition: Clear

Comment: Wide field imaging of Pleiades

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Imaging Scope Data

Mount: Celestron CPC1100 Mount     Camera: ZWO ASI071 OSC     Focuser: Optec DirectSync SVX30

Telescope: Stellarvue SV90 refractor   Focal Length: 504mm

Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: Focal Reducer/Field Flattener: 0.8   Filter: None

Rotator: Manual     Power Control: None     Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip

Imaging Software

Mount: Celestron     Focuser: Optec FocusLynx Commander

Imaging: Sequence Generator Pro     Platesolve: Platesolve 2     Rotator/Control: None

Imaging Status

Imaging Software: Sequence Generated     Focus Good HFR 1.32     Platesolve: Good on 2nd attempt    

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Guide Scope Data

Telescope: Stellarvue SVX130 refractor     Camera: Lodestar X2     Focuser: Optec DirectSync SV35

Dew Heater: Kendrick dew strip    Software: PHD2    Exposure: 1.5 sec    Binning: 1x1    Tracking Result: 0.7 arc-seconds RMS

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Images Taken

Number of light frames: 120        Duration: 2 minutes        Gain: Unity        

Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C        Binning: 1x1        F-Stop: 5.6        

Total Integration Time: 4 hours

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Number of flat frames: 50        Duration: 0.04 seconds        Gain: Unity        

Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C        Binning: 1x1        F-Stop: 5.6        

Flat Field Illumination: All-Pro 'Spike-a-Flat Field standard' illuminated panel

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Number of Dark frames: 60 (from library)       Duration: 2 minutes        Gain: Unity        

Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C        Binning: 1x1        F-Stop: 5.6        

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Number of Bias frames: 60 (from library)      Duration: 0.001 seconds        Gain: Unity        

Camera Temperature: -20 degrees C    Binning: 1x1        F-Stop: 5.6        

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Imaging Processing

Imaging Processing Software: PixInsight

Processes utilized: Linear - calibration/integration: Flats ImageCalibration with Master Bias, Flat ImageIntegration, Images ImageCalibration with Flat Master & Dark Master, Debayer, SubFrameSelector, StarAlign, ImageIntegration.

Linear - Background extraction, Color correction, deconvolution, noise reduction: DynamicCrop, DynamicBackgroundExtraction, ImageSolve, SpectroPhotometricColorCalibration, BlurXTerminator

Non-Linear: GeneralizedHyperbolicStretch script, NoiseXterminator, CurvesTransformation, MultiscaleLinearTransform for sharpening

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Notes:

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