Messier 34 (also known as NGC 1039, or the Spiral Cluster) is a large and relatively near open cluster in Perseus. It is about 1,500 light-years away and has about 400 of 0.1 to 1 solar masses stars. It spans about 35′ on the sky which translates to a true radius of 7.5 light years. The cluster is just visible to the naked eye in very dark conditions, well away from city lights.
The age of this cluster lies between the ages of the Pleiades open cluster at 100 million years and the Hyades open cluster at 800 million years. Specifically, comparison between noted stellar spectra and the values predicted by stellar evolutionary models suggest 200–250 million years. This is roughly the age at which stars with half a solar mass enter the main sequence. By comparison, stars like the Sun enter the main sequence after 30 million years.
At least 19 members are white dwarfs. These are stellar remnants of progenitor stars of up to eight solar masses (M☉) that have evolved through the main sequence and are no longer have thermonuclear fusion to generate energy.
M34
Messier 34 (also known as NGC 1039, or the Spiral Cluster) is a large and relatively near open cluster in Perseus. It is about 1,500 light-years away. and has about 400 of 0.1 to 1 solar masses stars. It spans about 35′ on the sky which translates to a true radius of 7.5 light years. The cluster is just visible to the naked eye in very dark conditions, well away from city lights.
The age of this cluster lies between the ages of the Pleiades open cluster at 100 million years and the Hyades open cluster at 800 million years. Specifically, comparison between noted stellar spectra and the values predicted by stellar evolutionary models suggest 200–250 million years. This is roughly the age at which stars with half a solar mass enter the main sequence. By comparison, stars like the Sun enter the main sequence after 30 million years.
At least 19 members are white dwarfs. These are stellar remnants of progenitor stars of up to eight solar masses (M☉) that have evolved through the main sequence and are no longer have thermonuclear fusion to generate energy.
Photographed with the RC8″ reflector telescope and the ASI 2600MC color CMOS camera in Stuvsta, February 19th, 2025. Exposure was 20*3 min with IDAS GNB narrowband filter. Postprocessing in Pixinsight.
M34
Messier 34 (also known as NGC 1039, or the Spiral Cluster) is a large and relatively near open cluster in Perseus. It is about 1,500 light-years away. and has about 400 of 0.1 to 1 solar masses stars. It spans about 35′ on the sky which translates to a true radius of 7.5 light years. The cluster is just visible to the naked eye in very dark conditions, well away from city lights.
The age of this cluster lies between the ages of the Pleiades open cluster at 100 million years and the Hyades open cluster at 800 million years. Specifically, comparison between noted stellar spectra and the values predicted by stellar evolutionary models suggest 200–250 million years. This is roughly the age at which stars with half a solar mass enter the main sequence. By comparison, stars like the Sun enter the main sequence after 30 million years.
At least 19 members are white dwarfs. These are stellar remnants of progenitor stars of up to eight solar masses (M☉) that have evolved through the main sequence and are no longer have thermonuclear fusion to generate energy.
Photographed with the RC8″ reflector telescope and the ASI 2600MC color CMOS camera in Stuvsta, February 19th, 2025. Exposure was 20*3 min with IDAS GNB narrowband filter. Postprocessing in Pixinsight.
