M34 is an "open" star cluster in the constellation Perseus. At a distance of 1,500 light years, it spans 35 arcminutes of the sky which corresponds to 7 light years or the angular size of half of a full Moon. It is visible with the unaided eye from dark locations, and is magnificent in binoculars.
The cluster contains nearly 100 stars, including 19 white dwarfs and a number of double stars (the most prominent of which is h1123 in the center region of the cluster). White dwarfs are stars with an initial mass of up to 8 times the mass of our Sun (about 95% of all stars) that collapse when diminishing fuel is inadequate to produce fusion reactions sufficient to offset the inward and inexorable force of gravity. The inward collapse is abruptly halted by a force known as electron degeneracy (electrons resist occupying the same quantum state) if a star's final mass is below the "Chandrasekhar limit" of 1.44 solar masses. The star is now the size of the Earth, or a million times smaller than its original size, hot, and extremely dense, with a tablespoon weighing several tons. These stars no longer emit energy based on nuclear fusion.
For stars with initial masses greater than 8 or so solar masses the force of gravity overcomes the resistive force of electron degeneracy, producing either a neutron star or black hole.
So, when you look at this cluster, imagine the numerous white dwarf stars the size of Earth, with a density of several tons per tablespoon.
Star cluster M34 in Perseus
Date Taken:October 24, 2014
Location Taken:New Mexico Skies Observatory
Conditions of Location: Equipment Used:Planewave 20" corrected Dall-Kirkham telescope, FLI PL11002M camera
Processing Used:7 x 3 minutes luminance, 7 x 2 minutes RGB, 1 x 1 binning, for a total exposure of one hour,, processed in Maxim DL and Photoshop
Distance from Location:1,500 light years
Constellation:Perseus
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