Open clusters (aka galactic clusters) are congregations of stars that are relatively young, born near the galactic plane of the Milky Way galaxy.  These clusters of stars typically dwindle in numbers as they are pulled apart by gravitational forces.  This cluster of a few hundred stars is commonly known as M46.  It is about 300 million years young, and spans about 30 light years across.  It is located roughly 5000 light years away toward the constellation Puppis.  In an apparent contradiction in age, planetary nebula PLN231+4.2 (aka NGC 2348) appears within the cluster, but it is actually a forground object located approximately 3000 light years away.  Planetary nebulae are the brief final life phase of solar-type stars, of perhaps a few billion years in age, whose central reservoir of hydrogen has been exhausted.  NGC 2348 is traveling through space at a different speed than the stars of M46.  Another planetary, designated PLN231+4.1, is visible as a small red dot in the upper left portion of the screen.

Scope:  Astro Systeme Austria ASA N8 Astrograph

Mount:  Losmandy G-11/Gemini

Camera:  Starlight Xpress SXVF-H16

Filter Wheel:  Finger Lakes Instruments CFW-2-7 with Optec 50mm Filters

MaxIm DL 5 and Photoshop CS3

  The area of the sky known as Baade's Window offers a glimpse

  into an area that is very near to the core of our own Milky Way

 Galaxy.  It is a rare location that has very little dust to obscure

 the view:  thus, the number of stars is remarkable.  This image also

 includes a small globular cluster known as NGC6522.