M37 Open Cluster
Magnitude: 6.2
Distance: Aprox: 4,511 light-years
Constellation: Auriga
Star Count: Aprox 500
Diameter: 25 light-years
Messier 37 is the brightest, richest and largest of the three open clusters in the constellation Auriga. Messier 37 lies in the direction opposite to the galactic centre when seen from Earth. It is between 347 and 550 million years old and contains at least 12 evolved red giant stars. The hottest main sequence star in the cluster has the stellar classification B9 V.
Messier 37 is classified as Trumpler type I, 1, r or 1,2 r, which means that it is a detached cluster with strong central concentration (I), that its stars either have almost the same apparent brightness (1) or a moderate range in brightness (2), and that ithe cluster is richly populated (r), with more than 100 members.
Messier 37 contains more than 500 confirmed members, of which over 150 stars are brighter than magnitude 12.5. The cluster has a mass of 1,500 solar masses. It orbits through the Milky Way with a period of 219.3 million years, coming within 19,600 light years of the galactic centre at its nearest approach and moving to a distance of 30,700 light years at the farthest point in its orbit.
Taken 12/30/17 in Toledo Ohio by Russell Kille on a CPC 1100 with Hyperstar @ F2 and ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera
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M37 in conjucntion with Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner
Taken 9/15/18 at Lake Hudson Recreation Area in Clayton, Michigan by Russell Kille on a CPC 1100 with Hyperstar @ F2 and ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera
