Messier Index/M34
Messier 34 (also known as M 34 or NGC 1039) is an w:open cluster in the w:constellation Perseus. It was discovered by w:Giovanni Batista Hodierna before w:1654 and included by w:Charles Messier in his catalog of w:comet-like objects in w:1764.
| Messier 34 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observation data (J2000.0 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Perseus |
| Right ascension | 02h 42.1m[1] |
| Declination | +42° 46′[1] |
| Distance | 1.4 kly[citation needed] (0.4 kPc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.5[citation needed] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 35.0′[citation needed] |
| Other designations | NGC 1039[1] |
M34 is at a distance of about 1,400 w:light-years away from w:Earth and consists of some 100 w:stars. It spans about 35' on the sky which translates to a true radius of 7 w:light years. The cluster is just visible to the naked eye in very dark conditions, well away from city lights. It is well seen in w:binoculars.
External links
- Messier 34, SEDS Messier pages
- Messier 34 Amateur Image by Waid Observatory
References
- Membership of Stars in NGC 1039 (M34): w:NASA w:Astrophysics Data System link to an article by B. F. Jones and Charles F. Prosser.
- ↑ a b c "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for Messier 34. Retrieved 2006-12-08.