What Is The Summer Beehive Cluster?
The Summer Beehive Cluster, also known as IC 4665, Melotte 179, or Collinder 349, is a beautiful open cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus. It has a magnitude of 4.2 and is distanced 1,200 light years from Earth. Jean-Philippe Loys de Cheseaux (May 4, 1718 – November 30, 1751), an astronomer from Lausanne in Switzerland, discovered the Summer Beehive Cluster in 1745.
This large cluster is already looking good in smaller binoculars but binoculars or telescopes with larger apertures and a higher magnification can reveal more stars. Appealing to see, is a curved chain of bright white stars. I also like to image star clusters and not only observe them.
Image details
- Telescope: Sky-Watcher Explorer BD N200/1000
- Mount: iOptron CEM60 on tri-pier iOptron
- Camera: ZWO ASI294MC Pro
- Telescope control: ZWO ASIair gen.1
- Software: Astro Pixel Processor (stacking&processing); PixInsight (little post-processing); Affinity Designer&Photo (Logo)
Data was captured on the nights of 31/05-01/06/2021 & 01/06-02/06/2021.
SQM-L: 18.97 (0:30, 01/06/2021) // 18.75 (0:04, 02/06/2021)
No guiding, no coma corrector, no filter
Total integration time: 3.5 hours
