M46
About this celestial object
Low in the southern sky, the open cluster M46 in Puppis twinkles.
M46 is a rich open cluster in Puppis; a small planetary nebula often shares the same field—a fine juxtaposition of stars and gas.
So close to the horizon, airmass and humidity dim the light, yet the dense starry carpet still stands out clearly.
Roughly 12 minutes total exposure at 250 mm f/5 bring out the cluster’s fine grain.
Image and observation
Catalogue: M 46
Capture date: 2025-03-09
Total exposure: 730 s
Imaging and processing: Ulrich Schwarz · Vespera Pro