Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 August 7 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. The Double Cluster in Perseus Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Ron Brecher Explanation: [5]This stunning starfield spans about three full moons (1.5 degrees) across the heroic northern constellation of [6]Perseus. It holds the famous [7]pair of open star clusters, h and Chi Persei. Also cataloged as [8]NGC 869 (right) and NGC 884, both clusters are about 7,000 light-years away and contain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. Separated by only a few hundred light-years, the clusters are both 13 million years young [9]based on the ages of their [10]individual stars, evidence that both clusters were likely a product of the same star-forming region. Always a rewarding [11]sight in binoculars or small telescopes, the Double Cluster is even visible to the unaided eye from [12]dark locations. Tomorrow's picture: Dawn of the Crab __________________________________________________________________ [13]< | [14]Archive | [15]Submissions | [16]Index | [17]Search | [18]Calendar | [19]RSS | [20]Education | [21]About APOD | [22]Discuss | [23]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [24]Robert Nemiroff ([25]MTU) & [26]Jerry Bonnell ([27]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [28]Specific rights apply. [29]NASA Web Privacy, [30]Accessibility, [31]Notices; A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC, [35]NASA Science Activation & [36]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2508/DoubleClusterBrechersmall.jpg 3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 4. https://astrodoc.ca/about-me/ 5. https://astrodoc.ca/double-cluster-2025/ 6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_constellation 7. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/caldwell-14 8. http://www.messier.seds.org/xtra/ngc/n0869.html 9. http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0205130 10. http://www.messier.seds.org/open.html 11. https://astrobackyard.com/double-cluster-in-perseus/ 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060413.html 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250806.html 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 19. https://apod.com/feed.rss 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 22. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250807 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250808.html 24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 30. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 31. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 33. https://www.nasa.gov/ 34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 35. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 36. http://www.mtu.edu/