Open star cluster M44 "The Beehive Cluster" or "Praesepe"
Photo description / processing
The open star cluster M44, also known as the "Beehive Cluster" or "Praesepe" (the Manger). Captured with a Nikon D5300 paired with a Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens, shooting through a window with a screen. Stacked 34 exposures of 5 seconds each at ISO 1600, aperture at f/4.2. Calibration frames were taken with a full set: 30 darks, 30 biases, and 15 flats. Stacked in DSS. Various corrections for noise, color, and other adjustments were performed in FitsWork4 and FITStacker 13. Masks, levels, curves, and other general corrections were applied in Gimp 2.10.22. Chromatic aberration suppression, saturation adjustment, and final background correction were done in Adobe Photoshop 2021. The imaging was conducted from a yellow-orange light pollution zone on the eastern horizon (the city is located to the west). To the east, the light pollution zones are yellow and green.
Technical information
- Telescope/Lens
- Tamron 70-300mm Lens
- Camera
- Nikon D5300
- Mount
- QZSD Q999 Tripod
- Software
- DeepSkyStacker, Fitswork4, Fitstacker13, GIMP, Adobe Photoshop
- Location
- Уссурийск, Россия
Light pollution
Orange, Bortle 6 zone
- Date taken
Exposure
- 34 × 5″ · ISO/Gain: 1600 ·
Total exposure: 3 m









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