The Swan Nebula

[Trevorw]

Target: M17 Swan Nebula

Camera: Canon 350d modified, WO F2 FR, Baader 2” Skyglow filter

Exposure Capture: DLSR Focus

Scope: GSO CF RC200

EFR: f/6

Mount: EQ6 Pro

Exposure Setting: Prime focus, ISO800 ICNR off Daylight WB

Exposures: 10 X180s, 7 x 480s taken 30/07/2009

Seeing: waxing gibbous 70% moon

Guiding: Orion Starshoot Autoguider using PHD with ED80

Focus: DSLR Focus

Stacking: DSS equal darks plus flats, no bias applied

Processing: CS3

Note: Collimation is still not 100% and eggy stars at edges may be due to rotation and not focuser sag as recently replaced the stock focuser with a Moonlite

Messier 17 Starforming Nebula M17 (NGC 6618), an emission nebula, with Open Star Cluster, in Sagittarius AKA Omega, Swan, Horseshoe, or Lobster Nebula

Right Ascension 18 : 20.8 (h:m)

Declination -16 : 11 (deg:m)

Distance 5.0 (kly)

Visual Brightness 6.0 (mag)

Apparent Dimension 11.0 (arc min)

Discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745-46.

The Omega Nebula Messier 17 (M17, NGC 6618), also called the Swan Nebula, the Horseshoe Nebula, or (especially on the southern hemisphere) the Lobster Nebula, is a region of star formation and shines by excited emission, caused by the higher energy radiation of young stars. Unlike in many other emission nebulae, however, these stars are not obvious in optical images, but hidden in the nebula. Star formation is either still active in this nebula, or ceased very recently. A small cluster of about 35 bright but obscured stars seems to be imbedded in the nebulosity.