M 16 / IC 4703 (NGC 6611, Cr375 / Sh2-49)
Open Cluster / Bright Nebula in Serpens
Located at: RA 18 hours 18 minutes 43 seconds, Dec -13 degrees 48 minutes 00 seconds
Size: 6.0' / 28' x 17'; Magnitude: 6.0 / --; Class: II 3 m n / Emission (Sharpless) 3 3 3
North is up
West to the right
| Telescope: |
8" f5 Newtonian reflector |
| Camera: |
ST-8XME, self-guided, binned 1x1, temp -20c, camera control MaxIm DL 4.55 |
| Image: |
Red (Hoya 25A) filter, 250 minutes (25 x 10 minute subs), 08/19/21/2006 |
| Processing: |
CCDStack 1.2, Photoshop 7.0 |
| Location: |
Rolling Roof Observatory, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 (+34d 13m 29s -118h 52m 20s) |
| Notes: | This field is a combination of a fairly bright open cluster (M 16),
and a much fainter emission nebula (IC 4703 / Sh2-49). Near the center of the
image is the so called "Pillars of Creation", made famous by the
Hubble
Space Telescope image. From the NGC / IC Project: Contemporary Visual Observation(s) for NGC 6611NGC 6611 = M16 = IC 4703 = LBN 67 = Sh 2-49 = Eagle Nebula = Star-Queen Nebula 18 18 48 -13 48.4 V = 6.0; Size 35x28 13.1": the "Eagle Nebula" is a fairly bright 30' nebulosity in a striking outstretched eagle shape with a bright scattered cluster superimposed. There is a considerable contrast gain to the nebulosity using a UHC or OIII filter. With a UHC filter, a dark projection (called the "Star Queen") enters on the SE edge of the nebula and extends inward to the west. Also a thin dark "finger" extends even further towards the open cluster. The cluster members surrounding the "head" of the eagle include ten mag 8-10 stars with a bright pair of mag 8.5 stars (8.2/8.8 at 27"). A dark triangular wedge is visible off the north side. - by Steve Gottlieb |