Messier 39 (M39) is a beautiful open cluster located in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan. Situated approximately 800 light-years from Earth, this cluster is relatively close in astronomical terms. M39 is easily visible to the naked eye under dark skies and appears as a large, loose grouping of stars, covering an area about the size of the full moon.

This cluster consists of around 30 bright stars, most of which are blue-white in color, indicating their young age. Estimated to be around 300 million years old, M39 offers a stunning spectacle when observed through binoculars or a small telescope. The stars of M39 are spread out over a wide region, giving it a sparse, scattered appearance compared to more tightly packed clusters. This open cluster is a popular target for amateur astronomers, especially during the summer months when Cygnus is prominently positioned in the northern hemisphere’s night sky.

Image Description and Details : The emission nebula Simeis 57 in constellation of Cygnus. It was cataloged in Ukraine in the 1950s as the 57th object in a catalog of 306 HII regions at the Simeiz Observatory. I captured the image from my Garden at Schwabach (Bavaria), Germany at Bortle 5 Class. Equipment: Telescope: Skywatcher 150/750 PDS, Mount: Skywatcher EQ5-Pro, Camera: QHY163C, Guiding: ZWO ASI 120 MC-S with PHD2, Recordingsoftware: N.I.N.A, Exposure: 150 x 120s Lights (RGB), 41 x 300s Lights (Optolong L-eXtreme). Total exposure time: 8,5 Hours, Darks, Flats, Darkflats, Stacking: Astropixelprocessor, Image processing: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom

Copyright: Michael Kraus

Image Description and Details : Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) passing the globular cluster Messier 10 in constellation of ophiuchus. Distance at time of recording was 270 Mio. km from earth. I captured the image from my Garden at Schwabach (Bavaria), Germany at Bortle 5 Class. Equipment: Telescope: Skywatcher 150/750 PDS Mount: Skywatcher EQ5-Pro Camera: QHY163C (Gain 120, Offset 50, -15°C) Guiding: ZWO ASI 120 MC-S, PHD2 Recordingsoftware: N.I.N.A Exposure: 60 x 60s Lights Total exposure time: 1 Hous 50 Darks, 30 Flats, 30 Darkflats Stacking: Astropixelprocessor Image Editing: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom

Copyright: Michael Kraus

Image Description and Details : On Charles Messier's birthday, I honored him by photographing comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS) as it traveled through our solar system in constellation of serpens. Distance at time of recording was 281 Mio. km. I recorded the image from my Garden at Schwabach (Bavaria), Germany at Bortle 5 Class. Equipment: Telescope: Skywatcher 150/750 PDS Mount: Skywatcher EQ5-Pro Camera: QHY163C (Gain 120, Offset 50, -15°C) Guiding: ZWO ASI 120 MC-S, PHD2 Recordingsoftware: N.I.N.A Exposure: 138 x 30s Lights Total exposure time: 1,09 Hours 50 Darks, 30 Flats, 30 Darkflats Stacking: Astropixelprocessor Image Editing: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom

Copyright: Michael Kraus