The "Double Cluster" (NGC 869 and 884) was cataloged by the Greek
astronomer Hipparcos in 130 B.C. It can be seen with the naked eye as a
fuzzy patch in the constellation Perseus, but in a telescope it
explodes in points of light. These two clusters probably formed out
of the same huge cloud of gas and dust about 13 million years ago. They are
7400 light years from earth, and the two clusters are each about 70 light
years across.
Image data:
Camera: Olympus OM-1
Film and exposure: Fuji Provia 400, pushed to 800; 10 minutes
Telescope: 10" Schmidt-Newtonian, manually guided