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Messier 48 is an intermediate age open cluster in the constellation Hydra. Its age has been calculated at about 450 million years. M48 is located 1,500 light years away from our solar system, has a magnitude of +5.5 and occupies an area of 51×51 arc min. Its brightest star (HD 68879, HIP 40348, mag +8.3) is a red spectral double that can be located on the lower right quarter of this image. This cluster has a very low metallicity (abundance of elements heavier than Helium).
Additional Information
Object
Name(s): Messier 48, M48, NGC 2548
Type: Open Cluster
RA: 08h 13m 42s
Dec: -05º 45’ 02”
Constellation: Hydra
Size (arcmin): 51×51 arcmin
Magnitude: +5.5
Distance: 1,500 ly
Image
Date: 2021-05-13
Location: iTelescope.net, SSO near Coonabarabran, NSW Australia
Size (arcmin): 50×51 arcmin
Telescope: 20” f/4.4 Reflector
Camera: FLI PL09000 (3056x3056pix)
Guiding: N/A
Total exposure: 90 min (R:G:B, 30 min each, synthetic Luminance made from them)
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CC 2021