NGC 2516, the Diamond Cluster

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This is a very interesting open clusters visible by naked eye. The integrated brightness is mag. 3.3, and is located in Carina. The position in the sky is nearly on the prolongation of SMC and LMC; at a rough naked eye observation may resemble like a third and very small Magellanic cloud, so that can be named as MMC (Micro Magellanic Cloud).
 
Technical Data
Optics Pentax 75 apo refractor
Focal Lenght 500 mm
Focal Ratio f/6.7
Exposure Time 1 h (single exp of 10 min)
CCD Canon EOS 5D with Baader filter
Sensitivity 800 ISO
Location Tivoli Farm (Namibia) at 1350 m height
Date
 25 August 2011
Mount Kenko NES
Tracking Lodestar at 100 mm focal length
Temperature and humidity T= 0°C, RH=61%
Sky brightness at zenith (with SQM-L) 21.6 mag/arcsec^2 (Moon in the sky)
Notes This cluster was imaged as a filler because the last part of the night was penalized by a bright Moon in the sky.
This image is a collaborative effort of the Namibia 2011 expedition. Processing: Lorenzo Comolli. Images by: Lorenzo Comolli, Luigi Fontana, Giosuè Ghioldi, Emmanuele Sordini.

HTML Editing and Publishing by Lorenzo Comolli. Email me at comolli@libero.it.
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