Object: The Central Milky Way Galaxy - Left Side
Exposure: Single 45 minutes
Processing: Film processed and scanned at PDQ in Las Cruces
Telescope: Meade 10" LX200 (piggyback platform)
Guiding: SC modified webcam and GuideDog
Camera: Pentax 6x7medium format camera using a Pentax 105mm f/2.4 lens @ f/4.
Film: 120 Kodak E200 (pushed one stop)
Location: Texas Star Party - Ft. Davis, Tx
Date: 5/5/05
Processing: Adjusted levels and curves in PhotoShop and boosted the color saturation 20%.
Comments: This image was taken in high humidity, just hours after thunderstorms swept through the region.  This is the left part of the hub of our galaxy. The bright regions are the countless stars that make up the center of the galaxy.  The dark areas are clouds of dust obscuring the stars behind them.  Several red emission nebulae are visible along the central dust lane including M8 (center left.) These are stellar nurseries where new stars are forming from the clouds of hydrogen gas and dust.

© Dave Dockery 2005