NGC457 "The Owl" Cluster

NGC457 "The Owl" Cluster aka "The E.T." Cluster

NGC457 is one of many open clusters is Cassiopeia. Located approximately 7,900 light years away it consists of roughly 150 members. The brightest star Phi Cassiopeia is not a member but a foreground star located 2,300 light years away.

Camera: Starlight Xpress SXVF-H9

Guider: Starlight Xpress Ex-View off-axis with Starlight Xpress Active Optics unit.

Scope: Celestron C8 @ F6

Filters: RGB: Astronomik L-RGB type 2c, Luminance: Idas

L= 20x20sec,  R= 20x45sec G= 14x45sec B= 10x60sec

Date acquired:  Oct 5, 2011

Image aquisition by myself.

Post processing by Robert Vanderbei

Go here to view Robert's Astrophotography web pages http://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/images/

and his National Geographic book "Sizing Up The Universe" co-authored with  J. Richard Gott.

http://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/SUTU/index.shtml

Thanks Bob!