Object: The Lagoon Nebula (M8) in Sagittarius
Exposure: 55 minutes, 5 minute subframes
Telescope: TeleVue 85mm refractor @ f/5.6 piggyback on a 10" Meade LX200
Guiding: DSI-C and Envisage
Camera: Modified Canon 350XT DSLR @ Prime Focus
Processing: Conversion, registration, and stacking (Sigma) in ImagesPlus.  Final levels, curves, and sharpening in PS.
Location: Texas Star Party - Ft. Davis, Texas
Date: 5/15/07
Comments: This is a stellar nursery in the southern Milky Way and one of the largest and brightest nebulae observed from the Northern hemisphere. It's Hydrogen gas glows red and contains a notable dark lane running down the center. It's estimated to be about 5,000 light-years distant.  To see a larger version of the image click here.

© Dave Dockery 2007