NGC 3324 & IC 2599

Open Cluster & Emission Nebula, Carina

February 2022. Observatorio El Sauce, Chile

NGC 3324 is an open cluster in the southern constellation Carina, located northwest of the Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) at a distance of 7,560 ly (2,317 pc) from Earth. It is closely associated with the emission nebula IC 2599, also known as Gum 31. The two are often confused as a single object, and together have been nicknamed the “Gabriela Mistral Nebula” due to its resemblance to the Chilean poet. NGC 3324 was first catalogued by James Dunlop in 1826.

Telescope: Planewave CDK17 (FR) f4.5
Mount: Astro Physics 1600GTO
Camera: QHY16200A/ Integral FW
Guider: Agena Starguide II / SBIG STi

L: 48×10 mins = 480 mins, R: 24×10 mins = 240 mins, G: 24×10 mins = 240 mins, B: 24×10 mins = 240 mins

Total Imaging Time: 20h 00m

Data Imaged remotely over 6 nights during February 2022.
Imaged from Observatorio El Sauce, Chile, in partnership with Fred Espenak.
Data acquisition & Processing by David Churchill.