THE ALPHA PERSEI CLUSTER

The Alpha Persei star cluster surrounds the supergiant star Mirfak, Alpha Persei, which is the brightest member of the cluster. Large, sprawling, and in the heart of the Milky Way in Perseus, the young Alpha Persei cluster (580 light years away) is not commonly recognized as an open cluster, though it has been known as such for almost a century. All the stars in the field of view that have Greek letter names are indicated. (North is toward the top.)