NGC 869 and NGC 884 together form the well-known Double Cluster, h and χ Persei, in the constellation Perseus. The two open star clusters lie about 7,300 to 7,600 light years away and belong to the Perseus OB1 association. They consist mainly of young, hot and massive stars that formed only around 12–14 million years ago. Thanks to their high stellar density and the multitude of bright blue-white stars, NGC 869 and NGC 884 are among the most impressive open star clusters of the northern sky and are already visible to the naked eye as a diffuse object.
| IMAGE DATA | |
|---|---|
| Object | NGC869 & NGC884 - h & χ Persei |
| Distance | approx. 7.300 - 7,600 light years |
| Date | 28.12.2025 |
| Exposure | RGB each 54x 120sec. & HAlpha 68x 300sec., - Total approx. 11h |
| Mount | Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro |
| Telescope | Skywatcher 200PDS with 1.0x coma corrector |
| Camera | ZWO ASI 2600mm with ZWO RGB & HA Filter |
| Guiding | Zwo Asi OAG with ZWO Asi 290mm Mini & Asiair |
| Software | AsiAir, Astropixel Processor, Pixinsight, Photoshop CC, NoiseXterminator, Star X Terminator, BlurXterminator, Nik Collection 7 |