Canon 350D Hap Griffin Baader Mod
32x360sec at iso 1600
30 Darks/Flats/Bias
APM/TMB 130/780
Astronomik CLS Front "Clip" Filter

This object, or at least the nebulosity, was very challenging to image, but it was so interesting that I had to try it. I should have suspected it to be a tough target when Robert Gendler could only get this out of it with a 20 inch RCOS and an SBIG STL-11000XM on a Paramount ME.

NGC 6820 is an emission nebula that surrounds open cluster NGC 6823 in Vulpecula, near M27, the Dumbbell nebula. The center of the open cluster formed only about two million years ago and is dominated in brightness by a host of bright young blue stars. Outer parts of the cluster intimately involving pillars of emission nebula NGC 6820, contain even younger stars. The huge pillars of gas and dust likely get their elongated shape by erosion from hot radiation emitted from the brightest cluster stars. Striking dark globules of gas and dust are also visible in the nebula. Open star cluster NGC 6823 spans about 50 light years and lies about 6000 light years away

July 1, 2008