                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2023 July 7

                        The Double Cluster in Perseus
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Mårten Frosth

   Explanation: This pretty starfield spans about three full moons (1.5
   degrees) across the heroic northern constellation of Perseus. It holds
   the famous pair of open star clusters, h and Chi Persei. Also cataloged
   as NGC 869 (top) and NGC 884, both clusters are about 7,000 light-years
   away and contain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. Separated
   by only a few hundred light-years, the clusters are both 13 million
   years young based on the ages of their individual stars, evidence that
   they were likely a product of the same star-forming region. Always a
   rewarding sight in binoculars, the Double Cluster is even visible to
   the unaided eye from dark locations.

                      Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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