SUNSET: 
0
Photographer:
massimo.difusco
Location of Photo:
Rio Hurtado (Chile)
Date/Time of photo:
08/04/2026 03:00
Equipment:
Data acquired at Chilescope: ASA Newton 500 @1900mm, ASA DDM85 equatorial Mount, FLI PL16803 CCD camera, Astrodon R/G/B filters 3x(2x300")
Description:
NGC 2516 (also known as C 96) is a highly concentrated open cluster visible in the southern constellation of Carina. NGC 2516 is a very bright cluster, with an estimated distance of about 1330 light-years. It is located within the Orion Arm, a short distance from the boundaries of the vast Gum Nebula. The cluster contains about a hundred confirmed members, including several giant stars: specifically, there are some orange giants, an irregular variable red giant, and other stars. Similar to the central part of the Beehive Cluster (Praesepe), NGC 2516 appears to show signs typical of mass segregation, while the distribution of its components is occasionally irregular, featuring some less dense dark lanes.
