Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2021 October 8
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                        The Double Cluster in Perseus
                 Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Jack Groves

   Explanation: This pretty starfield spans about three full moons (1.5
   degrees) across the heroic northern constellation of [5]Perseus. It
   holds the famous [6]pair of open star clusters, h and Chi Persei. Also
   cataloged as [7]NGC 869 (top) and NGC 884, both clusters are about
   7,000 light-years away and contain stars much younger and hotter than
   the Sun. Separated by only a few hundred light-years, the clusters are
   both 13 million years young [8]based on the ages of their [9]individual
   stars, evidence that they were likely a product of the same
   [10]star-forming region. Always a rewarding [11]sight in binoculars,
   the Double Cluster is even visible to the unaided eye from [12]dark
   locations. But a shroud of guitar strings was used to produced
   [13]diffraction spikes on the colorful stars imaged in this vibrant
   telescopic view.

     Global Moon Party: Including APOD's Best Moon Images: [14]Saturday,
                                  October 9
            Tomorrow's picture: 50 light-years to planet Dimidium
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [26]Robert Nemiroff ([27]MTU) & [28]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([29]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [30]Specific rights apply.
              [31]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC
                           & [35]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2110/doubleclustergroves.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.instagram.com/astrojackmn
   5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_constellation
   6. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/caldwell-14
   7. http://www.messier.seds.org/xtra/ngc/n0869.html
   8. http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0205130
   9. http://www.messier.seds.org/open.html
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080928.html
  11. http://10minuteastronomy.wordpress.com/2009/11/21/mission-11-cassiopeia-and-the-double-cluster/
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060413.html
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction_spike
  14. https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/event-view.cfm?Event_ID=117247
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211007.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  19. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  24. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=211008
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211009.html
  26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  29. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  35. http://www.mtu.edu/