NGC3532 - Wishing Well Cluster

Image Title: NGC3532 - Wishing Well Cluster

Copyright: Demison Lopes

Date image was taken: April 16, 2025

Location: Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil

Data Acquisition Method: Personal Telescope Setup

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Image Description and Details: Astrophotographic record of the open star cluster NGC 3532, located in the constellation Carina, approximately 1,300 light-years from Earth.

This young star cluster, estimated to be 300 million years old, contains about 400 stars, many of them of spectral types B and A, contributing to its characteristic bluish glow.

The image was captured using an Askar Apo103 telescope and a ZWO ASI533MC pro camera, accurately revealing not only the bright stars of the cluster, but also diffuse nebulosity in the region, in reddish tones of ionized hydrogen (Hα).

NGC 3532 is visible to the naked eye in dark skies and was the first target observed by the Hubble Space Telescope mission after its launch.

Standing out for its prominence, in the upper left corner, is the variable star X Carinae, a pulsating supergiant, whose luminosity varies regularly and predictably over time. It is extremely important for astronomy, as it serves as a "cosmic ruler" for measuring distances in the universe.

Equipment Details: Telescope: Apocromatic Askar Apo103
Camera: ZWO ASI533Mc Pro
Mount: ZWO AM3
Filters: Optolong L-ultimate (93x90”) and Baader Neodymium (50x45”)
To capture the spikes (an effect that I personally find very elegant), a specific session was carried out using an "X"-shaped mask, created on a 3D printer, in front of the lens. The sessions were then processed in Pixinsight and Photoshop.
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Name: DEMISON LOPES

Website or Facebook Profile: http://www.astrobin.com/users/Lopes/