M56 – Globular Cluster in Lyra

Messier 56 is a globular cluster in the constellation Lyra, near the double star, Alberio, in Cygnus. M56 is about 85 light years in diameter, and is approximately 32,000 light years away from us.



Exposure
Luminance   30 minutes (30 x 1 min.), unbinned, -20°C
Red   18 minutes (18 x 1 min.) binned 2x2, -20°C
Green   26 minutes (26 x 1 min.) binned 2x2, -20°C
Blue   30 minutes (30 x 1 min.) binned 2x2, -20°C
Processing Dark and flat-frame processing in CCDStack
Statistical-combined in CCDStack
Levels, curves, color-combine in Photoshop CS3
Date and Location October 15, 2007
Montpelier, Virginia, USA
Equipment
 TMB-130SS APO refractor at f/7 on a Losmandy G-11 equatorial mount
SBIG ST-8XM camera
SBIG CFW-10 filter wheel with Astrodon filters
Guide scope: 60mm f/5 refractor and ST-402 camera
Imaging and autoguiding with MaxIm DL 4.57


Updated May 23, 2023