About image
Globular cluster M3 is visible in the northern constellation Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dogs). It is formed by about 500,000 stars and has a distance of about 33,900 light years from the Earth: its apparent magnitude of 6.2 makes it visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. In this image, individual stars are difficult to distinguished in the densely packed core, but colors are apparent for the bright stars on the cluster's outskirts. M3’s many cool "red" giant stars take on a yellowish cast, while hotter giants and pulsating variable stars look light blue (text adapted from APOD).
This image was taken from my home terrace with a very heavy light pollution all around.
Technical data
Optic Tecnosky Apo refractor LT 130-910mm f/7
Mount Skywatcher EQ8
Camera Atik 4000 with Starlight Xpress external filter
wheel 5 positions
Filters Hutech Idas LPS P2 50mm unmounted, Baader 50mm
unmounted RGB
Guiding system Artesky Ultraguide 70mm
Exposure details L 25x300" + 12x60" bin1 -15C
R 27x120" bin1 -15C
G 28x120" bin1 -15C
B 29x120" bin1 -15C
Total integration 5.1h
Acquisition Voyager, PHD2
Processing Pixinsight 1.8,
Photoshop CS5
SQM-L 18.43
Location Rescaldina (Italy), home terrace
Date 16/17/18 March 2020