M36 is an open star cluster comprising about 60 stars of magnitudes 9 to 14. The star cluster is located about 4100 light years away. The diameter of the cluster is about 14 light years. It is a relatively young galactic star cluster containing bright B-type stars among its members. It is one of three objects in the constellation Auriga that were included in the Messier catalog. The other two Messier objects are M38 and M37. M36 is significantly younger than M37 and M38, however, and does not contain any stars that have evolved into red giants.
This is an RGB color composite CCD image taken with an SBIG ST-8XE CCD using a Takahashi Epsilon 180ED telescope.
M36 (NGC1960)
Constellation: Auriga
RA: 05h 36m 18s Dec: +34d 08' 27" (J2000)
February 2, 2009
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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