M26 (NGC 6694) is an open cluster in the constellation Scutum above Sagittarius. This object is low this time of year and sets early, so I snuck it in after sunset but before astronomical twilight ended.

The picture was taken with a modified Canon Rebel on a TEC 140 from the Alpenglow-Torrey House Observatory in the dark sky community of Torrey, Utah (Bortle 2-3) on October 24, 2022.

10 2-minute frames stacked in Deep Sky Stacker = 20 minute exposure.

The cluster was first spotted by telescope by Charles Messier in 1764.

The observatory dome got stuck in the first icy snowfall of the season. Kirsten got it un-stuck. I asked her how she liked the observatory, and she said she loves it when it’s working. I said you don’t like it most of the time in that case.

It is a good thing I have her help to keep things going.