The Hunt for a Dark Nebula : NGC 6820/23

[Catanonia]

Well i have been rather quiet for a while with my images, and that is because I set myself a target of imaging something that isn't imaged / posted much on this forum. I did a search throughout SGL and only found a couple of threads with this target.

The target was NGC6823 Cluster and NGC 6820 Dark Nebula in the Vulpecula constellation. After doing much reading on it, it found it to be considered a difficult target due to the low nebulocity and the close bright cluster 6823 drowning out the light. Hence the term Dark Nebula.

This target has to be the most difficult I have tried, but really wanted to give it a shot.

Captured on my SkyWatcher EvoStar Pro ED120 900mm F7.5 with a Baader modded EOS 350D over 3 nights at ISO800.

In in all about 4.5 hours worth of subs with many darks / flats and dark flats applied.

It was so tempting to go overboard with the processing on this, but decided to keep the natural low red glow of the nebula.

A full sized image can be found here.

http://extraview.dnsalias.com/temp/NGC6823 Processed FULL.jpg

Some details on this target from Wiki

NGC 6820 is an emission nebula that surrounds open cluster NGC 6823 in Vulpecula, near M27, the Dumbbell Nebula. The nebula NGC 6820 is also callled Sharpless catalog Sh 2-86.

The most striking feature is the trunk-like pillar or dust and gas protruding from the east side of the nebula towards the open cluster, NGC 6823 in the west. The center of the open cluster is about two million years old and is predominantly represented by many young, bright 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 are probably formed when surrounding gas and dust is pushed and eroded away by radiation from nearby stars. Remarkable dark globules of gas and dust are also visible in the nebula, much as is seen in the better known Eagle Nebula in Serpens or the Lagoon Nebula in Sagittarius.

Open star cluster NGC 6823 is about 50 light years across and lies about 6000 light years away.

It was long, tiresome and darned frustrating at times getting this target with it being so dim, but I feel a sense of achivement now.

Definately going to re-visit this target next year to add to it.

Cat

[roundycat]

I'm not trying to hijack your post but here is a version I did a couple of nights ago for the same reason as you. Obviously a wider view, but next time I am going in closer, a bit like yours. This was 45m 6nm Ha at f5.

Dennis

[Catanonia]

Dennis,

Makes me want to get a Ha clip filter to add to my images. You can clearly see the pillars in the Ha banding that is harder to see in my RGB. Nice image.

In my short time of imaging / astronomy, I thought I needed a challenge to see how good my kit was and wanted to post something different. Great minds eh

[prokyon]

This is not an easy object, very well done!

[peter shah]

a tricky capture....nicely done

[Catanonia]

Thanks guys, took me ages and a load of patience which for me is not easy

Onto my next target now, another difficult and unusual one, already almost 2 hours into it and looking good so far.

Was beginning to think people were bored of me

[Tim]

fascinating area of the sky, especially the dark nebs

[Psychobilly]

Progress has been Phenomenal Cat

Very nicely done indeed

Peter...

[minimalist]

Very impressive Cat, that is indeed a very difficult target, well done. I also like the processing, the image looks very natural to me without it being overdone... something I'm guilty of occasionally.

Daniel

[Whippy]

Very nice, I've had on my 'to do' list for a while now and you've done it justice . If I was you though, I would have given this another couple of hours and really gone 'deep'.

Tony..