Meet NGC 2477 (the cluster lower right) and open cluster NGC 2451 (above left).

Sometimes when researching my next project, a fellow astrophotographer’s work will jump out and inspire me to attempt to target that region of space.

Another such is displayed here – a beautiful region of Ha located in Puppis.

Image & processing inspired by Kfir Simon.

Not too many images of this region about, that’s very exiting for an amateur astrophotographer!

Baked in APP, aligned in Registar & finished off with a touch of PS.

Taken over 5 nights from from Burwood, Suburban Melbourne.

The Electric Guitar Cluster NGC 2477 in Puppis Ha RGB Mosaic
The Electric Guitar Cluster in Puppis

Capture Details

TelescopeStellarvue SV70T
CameraQSI 683 WSG8
MountTakahashi NJP
FiltersAstrodon 3nm Ha & RGB
Guiding CameraStarlight Xpress Lodestar X2
Integration time (Exposure)12 hrs
LocationSuburban Backyard, Victoria, Australia
DateDec, 2018

About this Nebula

Discovered by Nicolas de Lacaille (the ‘father of southern astronomy’) in 1752, NGC 2477 is a glorious star cluster, bright enough to be visible without optics from southern latitudes. It’s  best viewed with a small telescope where it fits in the same field of view as an adjacent star cluster, NGC 2451.  At a distance of 3,700 light years, NGC 2477 is one of the richest and densest of open star clusters and looks a little like the loose globular cluster M71 in the constellation Sagitta. The cluster has an impressive 1,900 members and spans about 37 light years. It’s also an ancient cluster, about 1 billion years old, and likely has lost many members since its birth to gravitational perturbations from other stars and star clusters.

NGC 2477 is great fun to observe. Aside from its intrinsic beauty, it tricks the human brain into detecting many shapes and patterns. To some observers, the cluster appears to have arms sticking out from its centre, almost like a glittering celestial spider. Others have noted its shape strongly resembles that of an electric guitar. (Cosmic Pursuits)

“I went to my friend’s house, he had an electric guitar with a tiny little amp. I turned the volume up to 10 hit one chord and said, I’m in love.”

- Ace Frehley