by Anthony Ayiomamitis
Open cluster NGC 7209 in Lacerta is a young cluster estimated to be around 410 million years-old and as suggested by the plethora of bright bluish stars in the image above. It is comprised of approximately 100 member stars and dominated by a handful of magnitude 7 to 9 stars and which includes an impressive pair of carbon stars at its center (mags 9.48 and 10.11). NGC 7209 is well-detached from the backround sky with a slight vertical concentration in a field spanning the apparent diameter of the full moon. The cluster has been estimated to lie at a distance of 3,810 light-years away. NGC 7243 was discovered by William Herschel in 1788.
Technical Details:
Date: Oct 19, 2009 (20:30 - 22:35 UT+3)
Location: Athens, Greece (38.2997° N, 23.7430° E)
Equipment: AP 160 f/7.5 StarFire EDF, AP 1200GTO GEM, SBIG ST-10XME, SBIG CFW10, SBIG LRGB + IR-block
Integrations: LRGB @ 30:30:30:30 using 3-/6-min subs, binning 1x1 (LRGB), CCD @ -17.5° C
Further Details: http://www.perseus.gr/Astro-DSO-NGC-7209.htm