Messier 67 (M 67)

Introduction | Map | My Best Own Photos | My Own Observations | References || Appendix: My Own Photos

On this page I collect my observations of the open star cluster M 67 (NGC 2682) in the constellation Cancer/Crab.

Introduction

Cancer/Crab belongs to the constellations that I do not really know. At the bottom left of this constellation, right next to the star alpha Canceri, there is, in addition to the open star cluster M 44, a further, smaller open star cluster called M 67 (15' - 20', according to different authors), which I observed at the end of March 2017 for the first time ever.

M 67 (NGC 2682)
Size: 15'/20' (Stoyan/Karkoschka)
Distance: 3,000 light years (Stoyan)
Rating: *** (Stoyan)

Map

M 67 in constellation Cancer/Crab (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

My Best Own Photos

eVscope

M 67 - Mar 6, 2021		M 67 - Mar 6, 2021		M 67 - Mar 6, 2021
M 67 - Mar 6, 2021, photo on top processed		M 67 - Mar 6, 2021, photo on top processed		M 67 - Mar 6, 2021, photo on top processed

Vespera

M 67, Mar 3, 2024 - original, 890s		M 67, Mar 3, 2024 - large, 890s

Vespera Pro

M 67, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000, 620s		M 67, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000, 620s, photo left processed

Dwarf mini

M 67, Apr 22, 2026 - original, 25 min, processed with Stellar Studio		M 67, Apr 22, 2026 - original, 25 min, processed with Stellar Studio and post-processed

My Own Observations

Observations End of March to May 2017

• March 29, 2017 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Heritage P130 on GoTo mount): M 67 observed, but details forgotten; as far as I remember, the cluster was not very bright.
• April 29, 2017 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Explorer 150PDS on GoTo mount): M 67 beautiful, but relatively faint
• May 5, 2017 (ditto): M 67 seen only faintly, probably because of the moon light
• May 14, 2017 (ditto): M 67 found

Observations March 2018

• March 20, 2018 (Erkerode: TS binoculars): M 67 seen faintly

Observations May 2018

• May 6, 2018 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: TS binoculars): M 67 seen very faintly

Observations February/March 2020

• February 24, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 67 photographed; nice cluster wit a few bright stars and many not so bright ones.
• March 12, 18, and 24, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 67 photographed; best results on March 24 (new moon).

Observations March 2021

• March 6, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 67 photographed in the new rectangular format, manually exposed

Observations March 2024

• March 3, 2024 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Vespera): M 67 photographed (15 min)

Observations February 2025

• February 19, 2025 (Erkerode: Vespera Pro): M 67 photographed (10 min)

References

• Messier Catalogue - Messier 67: messier.seds.org/m/m067.html
• Messier 67 (Wikipedia): de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_67

On this Site

• Sky-Watcher Heritage P130 Information (5" Dobson)
• Sky-Watcher Explorer 150PDS Information (6" Newton)
• Unistellar eVscope Information
• Vaonis Vespera - Information
• Vaonis Vespera Pro - Information
• DwarfLab Dwarf mini - Information
• Sky-Watcher Star Discovery AZ GoTo Mount Information
• My Binoculars

Appendix: My Own Photos

eVscope

M 67 - Feb 24, 2020		M 67 - Mar 12, 2020
M 67 - Mar 18, 2020		M 67 - Mar 18, 2020		M 67 - Mar 24, 2020
M 67 - Mar 18, 2020, photo on top processed		M 67 - Mar 18, 2020, photo on top rocessed		M 67 - Mar 24, 2020, photo on top processed
M 67 - Mar 6, 2021		M 67 - Mar 6, 2021		M 67 - Mar 6, 2021
M 67 - Mar 6, 2021, photo on top processed		M 67 - Mar 6, 2021, photo on top processed		M 67 - Mar 6, 2021, photo on top processed

Vespera

M 67, Mar 3, 2024 - original, 890s		M 67, Mar 3, 2024 - large, 890s

Vespera Pro

M 67, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000, 620s		M 67, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000, 620s, photo left processed

Dwarf mini

M 67, Apr 22, 2026 - original, 25 min, processed with Stellar Studio		M 67, Apr 22, 2026 - original, 25 min, processed with Stellar Studio and post-processed