LBN 406 The Laughing Skull Nebula - and PGC 58928 - in Draco

[Boren]

Hi guys,

Here's an image I shot back in Aug.

This region includes some very faint reflection nebulae, and the first impression that came (to my) mind is one of a laughing skull – hence the adopted name :-)

Also, there's also PGC 58928 – a small galaxy which looks a little like Saturn – at the middle left hand side of the image…

It admittedly needs more exposure time – this includes only 2:10 hours of OCS with the ST8300C – and it was also imaged from a site in the desert, but alas one with rather bad light pollution, and very low. I did some intensity comparisons on similar objects at identical positions in the sky, and it turned out that the difference was more than 50% in favor of our new site, much deeper in the desert.

http://www.pbase.com/image/131531073

Anyways, I hope you like it – and any comments are very welcome as always!

Cheers, Harel

[angusb1]

The combination of a dark site and a fast scope with a large aperture - wonderful image.

[SlipperySquid]

Never seen this one before! Excellent image mate! Laughing Skull fit's it perfectly!

[saturn5]

Yep,a new one on me as well,cracking image.

[Dave S]

Lovely etherial image.

Well done.

Dave...

[peter shah]

Mmmm nice.....another beautiful bit of the dark stuff

[dc509]

Very nice, and a great name that deserves to stick

[Boren]

Guys,

thanks for looking! - I'mreal happy you liked it !

Cheers,

Harel

[RobH]

Good dusty image Harel.....that skull is scary!!

Rob

[Shibby]

Spoooky! Fantastic image though.

Is the kind of "mottled" effect true to what it looks like? Or is it due to some kind of HDR processing?

Also, there's Saturn in the picture (galaxy I assume)

[Boren]

Thanks Rob, Lewis!

I am glad you liked it - another horror movie image in the sky :-)

About the look of it - I really don't know. I could find only one other true image of this on the net, so there's not really too much to compare it to.

Next summer I'll have another go on it for a full night of imaging, and I will then be able to tell 100%.

Cheers,

Harel