Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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.

                                2025 August 7
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                        The Double Cluster in Perseus
                 Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Ron Brecher

   Explanation: [5]This stunning starfield spans about three full moons
   (1.5 degrees) across the heroic northern constellation of [6]Perseus.
   It holds the famous [7]pair of open star clusters, h and Chi Persei.
   Also cataloged as [8]NGC 869 (right) 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 [9]based on the ages of their
   [10]individual stars, evidence that both clusters were likely a product
   of the same star-forming region. Always a rewarding [11]sight in
   binoculars or small telescopes, the Double Cluster is even visible to
   the unaided eye from [12]dark locations.

                    Tomorrow's picture: Dawn of the Crab
     __________________________________________________________________

      [13]< | [14]Archive | [15]Submissions | [16]Index | [17]Search |
   [18]Calendar | [19]RSS | [20]Education | [21]About APOD | [22]Discuss |
                                    [23]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [24]Robert Nemiroff ([25]MTU) & [26]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([27]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [28]Specific rights apply.
            [29]NASA Web Privacy, [30]Accessibility, [31]Notices;
                A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC,
                         [35]NASA Science Activation
                           & [36]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2508/DoubleClusterBrechersmall.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://astrodoc.ca/about-me/
   5. https://astrodoc.ca/double-cluster-2025/
   6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_constellation
   7. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/caldwell-14
   8. http://www.messier.seds.org/xtra/ngc/n0869.html
   9. http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0205130
  10. http://www.messier.seds.org/open.html
  11. https://astrobackyard.com/double-cluster-in-perseus/
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060413.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250806.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  19. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  22. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250807
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250808.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  35. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  36. http://www.mtu.edu/