M46 in Puppis


The open cluster M 46 lies 5,400 light years from us, a collection of 500 young stars. In front of it, only 3,000 light years from us, is a planetary nebula - an old star blowing off its atmosphere into space before becoming a white dwarf.


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Images taken: Feb. 26, 2012, by Cody Arceneaux.

Telescope: Meade 12 in with f/5.7 focal reducer (f=68in).

Camera: SBIG ST-10 CCD

Exposures: 3 x 15 min red-green-blue, 3 x 20 min H-alpha, [OIII]5003, [SII]6800 (1h45m total).

Image processing: CCDoops, CCDsoft + Photoshop CS.