NGC 869 and 884
Double Cluster (Eta and Chi Persei) in Perseus

10.1” f/4.5, Mallincam DS432cTEC with 0.5 focal reducer
Exposure = 2 sec, Live-stacked frames = 1, Gain = 30 of 250

A beautiful star field, too many to count! The eastern-most cluster NGC 884 (chi, at bottom) is slightly dimmer and less compact than the western cluster NGC 869 (eta, at top). Estimate about a 1/2 degree between the two clusters; they lie about 7,500 light years away in the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way galaxy.

North at 10 o’clock, East at 7 o’clock

80mm f/5, Mallincam DS432cTEC with 0.5 focal reducer and Astronomik UHC filter
Exposure = 5 sec, Live-stacked frames = 30, Gain = 35 of 250

A wider angle view (2 x 3 degrees) of the Double Cluster with the short-tube refractor. Chi is to the left, Eta to the right.

North at 11 o’clock, East at 8 o’clock