M50

M50 is a pretty and considerably bright object located in the constellation Monoceros, near its border to Canis Major. It is believed to be about 3,200 light years from Earth and if so, has a linear size of about 20 light years, with the central portion being about half that. It contains about 200 stars, the brightest of which is a B8 at Magnitude 9.0, with an estimated age of of 78 million years. 7' south of the center is a red M giant, contrasting prominently against its blue-white neighbor stars. The cluster also contains some yellow giants.

Image taken March 12, 2010, with the Nikon D-90 on the C-14 operating at F:7. Exposure is 16 seconds at ISO 3200.