Clusters & Stars

The Hole in the Cluster

NGC 6811, 'The Hole in the Cluster', an open star cluster in Cygnus, photographed by Pete Lawrence.

Target details

NGC 6811 is an open star cluster in Cygnus, close to the border with Lyra. It covers about half the width of the full Moon and contains around 1,000 stars of similar brightness. Its nickname, 'The Hole in the Cluster', comes from its dark centre.

Capture details

Data captured 12th May, 2016.
40x 6 minute exposures at ISO400.

Equipment details

Orion Europa 200
NEQ6 Pro
Nikon d7100
Skywatcher ST-80
QHY5L-II

Processing details

This image was processed in Pixinsight & Lightroom.

The Hole in the Cluster: astrophotograph by Pete Lawrence