Jim Burnell's CCD Images - Abell 2151
Clicking on an image will display a high-resolution view.
 
Galaxy Cluster in Hercules
Object: Abell 2151
The Hercules Galaxy Cluster
 Const.: Hercules
Camera: HX-916 Scope: AP130 Mount: AP1200
Filter(s): IR block Exposure: 37x2m blank
Abell 2151, the Hercules Galaxy Cluster. This cluster of 87 galaxies spans over 56 minutes of arc, half again larger than the field of view of this image. The Hercules Galaxy cluster is 700 million lightyears away. At that distance, this image spans 7.6 million lightyears, and each pixel covers over 58,000 lightyears!
This image is a stack of 37 two minute exposures using a 5" f/6 refractor, for a total integration time of one hour, fourteen minutes. The image was calibrated and stacked using AIP4WIN. This image has been cropped down from its original size of 1256x974. Click on it to see a full size image.
 
Galaxy Cluster (inverted view)
This is a negative view of the image above, which helps bring out the fainter cluster members. This image has been cropped down from its original size of 1256x974. Click on it to see a full size image.