Nebulosity around the star Gamma Cyngni
Supergiant star Gamma Cygni lies at the center of the Northern Cross, famous asterism in the constellation Cygnus the Swan. Known by the proper name Sadr, the bright star also lies at the center of this gorgeous skyscape, featuring a complex of stars, dust clouds, and glowing nebulae along the plane of our Milky Way galaxy. The field of view spans over 5 degrees (eight Full Moons) on the sky and includes emission nebula IC 1318, SH2-108 and open star cluster NGC 6910. Left of Gamma Cyg and shaped like two glowing cosmic wings divided by a long dark dust lane, IC 1318's popular name is understandably the Butterfly Nebula. Above Gamma Cyg, are the young, still tightly grouped stars of NGC 6910. Some distance estimates for Gamma Cyg place it at around 750 light-years while estimates for IC 1318 and NGC 6910 range from 2,000 to 5,000 light-years.
(text adapted from APOD)
- Optics : Stellarvue SV105 Raptor Triplet Refractor with a SFF7-21 Field Flattener
- Mount: Mountain Instruments MI-250
- Camera: SBIG STL 11K
- Filters: Standard SBIG Luminance filter
- Exposure: 120min, 5min subexposures
- Camera/Mount Control: Maxim DL 4.56, CCD Commander
- Location: Stark Bayou Observatory, Ocean Springs, MS
- Date: June 09
