Observation Notes:
A bright, large, open cluster with a couple dozen bright stars and many more dimmer ones. It filled the 1.4 degree field of view. The main area fits in about a half degree area. All stars appear to be white. I saw quite a lot of double stars evident throughout the cluster.
Factoids:
M39 is a 230 to 300 million year old cluster that resides about 800 light years away. Within its 7 light year diameter, there are about 30 proven members, with from 50 to 100 stars suspected to be members. It is moving toward us at 28 km/sec.
While Charles Messier catalogued M39 in 1764, there is some contention that Le Gentil discovered it in 1750, and that Aristotle noted it as a cometary object in 325 BC.
| Subject | M39/NGC 7092 |
| Classification | Open Cluster |
| Position | Cygnus [RA: 21:32.2 / Dec: +48:26]* |
| Size* | 32′ |
| Brightness* | 4.6 |
| Date/Time | 10/14/04 – 10:40 PM |
| Observing Loc. | Flagstaff, AZ – Home |
| Instrument | Orion SVP 6LT Reflector (150 mm dia./1200 mm F/L) |
| Eyepieces/Mag. | 32 mm (37X) |
| Seeing | 3/10 |
| Transparency | Mag 5.8 |
* Based on published data.