Open Cluster M41 in Canis Major

A fine bright open star cluster in Canis Major containing 25 bright stars and many dimmer ones. The total population is aobut 100 stars raning in magnitude from 7 to 13. The central star is a reddish giant. The distance to this cluster is about 2350 light years while is diameter is about 20 light years.

Images taken with TEC-140 Telescope mounted on a Losmandy G11 Mount with Gemini. Camera used was a Canon EOS20D used at prime focus.

Three 1 minute exposures dark compensated, stacked, background adjusted, and digitally developed in ImagesPlus 2.10.