A Sparking Jewel Box
M34 is a group of about 100 stars that formed together approximately 200 million years ago. It is roughly the same age as the famous Pleiades, but it is located further away. The cluster is dominated by bright blue-white stars, but keen-eyed observers (and sensitive cameras) will notice several yellow and orange giants scattered throughout, which have already begun to evolve off the main sequence. It is a perfect example of a 'young' cluster that is just beginning to disperse into the Milky Way.
Imaging Challenges
- • Star Color: Open clusters are all about the 'hue.' Using SPCC is vital to ensure the blue stars look blue and the orange stars look orange, rather than everything just being white.
- • Dynamic Range: To keep the stars from 'bloating' or losing their color in the centers, you must use shorter exposures or careful HDR processing.
- • Background Uniformity: Because there is no nebula to hide behind, any gradients or sensor noise will be very apparent in the empty space between the stars.
M34 spans an area of the sky nearly as large as the full moon.