M8 - The Lagoon Nebula

 

     The Lagoon Nebula is a bright and easily seen nebula with small telescopes in the summer constellation Sagittarius.  The Lagoon contains the open star cluster NGC6530.  The interesting small dark formations are known as Bok globules which are dense clumps of dust clouds blocking the light emissions from the glowing hydrogen gas nebula behind them.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Optics Camera ISO Exposure Mount/Guiding Processing Location Date
TEC 140 @ f7 Canon Rebel XT (350D) modified; Type 1a filter 800 25x5 min G11 with ST4 on TV85 Dark Subtract, Registration, Stacking in DeepSkyStacker; Levels/Curves in PS7; Neat Image Noise reduction Cottonwood Springs, CA 6/16/07

Comments: Average seeing.  Clear Skies.  Warm!