Perseus Cluster
The Perseus Cluster (also known as Abell 426) is a cluster of galaxies in the constellation Perseus at a distance of 240 Million light-years, receding at 5400 km/s. It is one of the most massive objects in the known universe, containing thousands of galaxies immersed in a vast cloud of multimillion-degree gas. The total mass of the cluster is estimated to 2 x 10^15 solar masses.
The Perseus galaxy cluster is the brightest cluster in the sky when observed in the X-ray band.
The cluster contains the radio source 3C 84 (Perseus A), associated with the galaxy NGC 1275 which is located at the centre of the cluster, where the X-ray emission is brightest. The gas plasma near NGC 1275 has extremely high temperatures so that ions travel almost with the speed of light, a relativistic plasma.
Sky area (Field-of-view: 72' x 54’) including the Perseus galaxy cluster around NGC 1275,
05 November 2026, Kempen, William Optics APO 110 mm, f/7, ASI1600mm pro, gain 139, T = -10C,
[L]: 8880 s, [R], [G], [B]: 1800 s each. Image processing with PixInsight V1.9.5.
Enlarged view of the Perseus galaxy cluster around NGC 1275, 05 November 2026, Kempen,
William Optics APO 110 mm, f/7, ASI1600mm pro, gain 139, T = -10C,
[L]: 8880 s, [R], [G], [B]: 1800 s each. Image processing with PixInsight V1.9.5.
Designation of galaxies (NGC) using the New General Catalogue
NGC 1260
NGC 1272
NGC 1275
NGC 1294
NGC 1265
Copy of the enlarged view of the Perseus Cluster, however, with foreground stars removed using the “StarNet2” process. The remaining objects in this pictures are galaxies.