Object: Omega Nebula region of the Milky Way
Exposure: Single 10-minute exposure
Processing: Film processed and scanned at PDQ in Las Cruces using an Epson 1600
Telescope: Meade 10" LX200 (Piggyback platform)
Unguided
Camera: Canon F1 using a Canon 135mm f/2.5 lens stopped down one half stop.
Film: 35mm Kodak Supra 400 - old emulsion
Location: Texas Star Party - Ft. Davis, Texas
Date: 5/19/04
Processing: Levels and curves in Photoshop
Comments: This is the region of the Milky Way above the Sagittarius teapot and it includes a number of interesting deep sky objects.  In the lower right corner, the pink and blue nebula region is the Trifid Nebula (M20.)  I have a close-up of this region here.   Above M20 and halfway up the image lies the large open cluster M23.   Moving left to the center of the image and down is the Small Sagittarius Star-cloud (M24.)  This was really impressive viewed through a pair of binoculars under the dark TSP skies.  Move left and down from M24 to M25, another open cluster near the bottom of the image.  The two red emission nebulae above and left of M24 are: M17 - The Omega or Swan Nebula and further up, M16 - The Eagle Nebula.  This is where the Hubble Space Telescope shot the famous Pillars of Creation image. 

Click here for a larger version

© Dave Dockery 2004