Other Names: M16, IC 4703, Sh 2-49, Gum 83
Optics: Planewave 17" CDK f/4.5
Mount: Planewave Ascension 200HR
Camera: FLI-PL6303E CCD camera
Filters: HaRGB
Exposure: 100 Mins, [20 x 300s] 25 mins each of HaRBG
Accessories: 1940mm (0.66 Focal Reducer) guiding via mount using Maxim DL
Location: Mayhill, New Mexico (New Mexico Skies)
Date: May 28th, 2012
Notes: Image acquisition with
Maxim DL Pro using ACP automation
. Processing: Image calibration, align, and combine in Maxim DL Pro. Levels, curves, crop and resize in Photoshop. HaRGB combine completed using Neil Fleming's method (Ha added in "lighten" blend to each channel - R 100%, G 15%, B 20%, then Ha added layer at 60% opacity in "Lum" blend, redo curves on each new layer).
Calibrated w/6 Darks, 12 Bias, 3 Flats of each filter. CCD temperature was -35C. Image was taken using
ITelescope.net's rental scope (T21) near Mayhill, NM.
High Res Version:
http://astromarina.zenfolio.com/img/s8/v83/p1460170460.jpgHa Version:
http://astromarina.zenfolio.com/p264248004/h57096E86#h57096e86Original RGB Version:
http://astromarina.zenfolio.com/p14536770/h57099604#h57099604LRGB Version: http://astromarina.zenfolio.com/p833333387/h5709EE88#h5709ee88Luminance Version: http://astromarina.zenfolio.com/p309790024/h5709BA50#h5709ba50The
Eagle Nebula (catalogued as
Messier 16 or
M16, and as
NGC 6611, and also known as the
Star Queen Nebula) is a young
open cluster of
stars in the
constellation Serpens, discovered by
Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745-46. Its name derives from its shape that is thought to resemble an
eagle. It is the subject of the famous "
Pillars of Creation" photograph by the
Hubble Space Telescope that shows pillars of
star-forming gas and dust within the nebula.
The Eagle Nebula is part of a diffuse
emission nebula, or
H II region, which is catalogued as
IC 4703. This region of active current star formation is about 7000
light-years distant. The tower of gas that can be seen coming off the nebula is approximately 9.5 light-years or about 90 trillion kilometers high.
[2]The brightest star in the nebula (HD 168076) has an
apparent magnitude of +8.24, easily visible with good binoculars. It's actually a
binary star formed of an
O3.5V star plus an O7.5V companion.
[3]The cluster associated with the nebula has approximately 460 stars, the brightest of
spectral class O, a mass of roughly 80
solar masses, and a luminosity up to 1 million times that of the
Sun. Its age has been estimated to be 1-2 million years
[4]The descriptive names reflect impressions of the shape of the central pillar rising from the southeast into the central luminous area. The name "Star Queen Nebula" was introduced by
Robert Burnham, Jr., reflecting his characterization of the central pillar as the Star Queen shown in silhouette.
[5]