Last night I was able to check off four more asteroids from my observing list: (298) Baptistina (mag 14.3), (299) Thora (mag 14.7), (304) Olga (mag 12.8), and 307 Nike (mag 13.8). However, while it is satisfying to track down obscure points of light in the sky, it is also hard to ignore the more visually appealing targets.
The stars of the Pleiades (M45) comprise the most recognizable naked-eye cluster in the sky. This cluster is about 444 ly distant. It is currently passing through a dust cloud that creates a reflection nebula. This nebulosity is hard to see visually except in large telescopes, but is easily revealed with a short exposure in a dark sky. When I was finished with my asteroid hunting I turned the camera toward the Pleiades:
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| E-P5 + Rokinon 135mm f/2, ISO 1600, 60s. Nonlinear stretch to emphasize the nebulosity. 2-deg square. |
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