In the constellation of Perseus, the two star clusters NGC 869 and NGC 884 lie so close to each other that they almost touch, separated by only about 20 light-years. They are roughly 13 million years old: young, hot stars that were born (in galactic terms, very recently) from the same molecular cloud and still shine with a vivid blue light.
These twin clusters are visible even to the unaided eye. The ancient Greeks believed they were the sword of Perseus hanging from his belt — and indeed, in photographs they resemble the glint of cold steel shimmering in the depths of the night.
| Camera | ZWO ASI2600MC |
| Optics | Askar 103 APO |
| Mount | UMi 17S |
| Gain | 0 |
| Sensor Temperature | –10 °C |
| F-ratio | f/5.6 |
| Exposure | 96 × 30 s |
| Total Integration | 48 min (0.8 h) |
| Processing | Siril, GraXpert, Affinity |
