M34 was discovered by Charles Messier in August 1764. It is a relatively young galactic star cluster near the Perseus-Andromeda border. The star cluster is about 100 million years old, and is located about 1400 light-years away. M34 is rated at 5th magnitude. It has 80 stars in a region about 18 arc-minutes in diameter. This object looks better in a small rich field telescope or binoculars. A large telescope does not improve the view. Instead, it just spreads out the bright stars.
This is an RGB CCD image taken with an SBIG ST-8XE CCD using a Takahashi FCT-150 refractor.
M34 (NGC1039)
Constellation: Perseus
RA: 02h 42m 27s Dec: +42d 47' 27"
July 13, 2005
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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