Takahashi FSQ-106 at f/5

Astro-Physics 1200 GTO

SBIG ST-10XME

Custom Scientific 3nm Hydrogen-Alpha

26 July 2005

Mount Wilson Observatory - Mount Wilson, CA

Ha 6 x 1800 sec 1x1 bin

Maxim DL/CCD, Registar, CCDSharp, Photoshop CS

Field of View: 01°22’ x 01°01’ centered on RA 18h08m56.6s
DEC -23°53’02” (2000.0). North angle 242.8 °; east 90° CCW from north

This image actually contains a number of cataloged objects. IC 1274 is the bright, circular nebula left of center near the bottom of the image. To its right is a somewhat fainter circular nebula named IC 1275. Between the two is a wide dark lane designated Barnard 91. Above and to the right of IC 1275 is a bright filament known as NGC 6559. The prominent, thin dark lane to its left is Barnard 303. Near to and at a one o'clock position from IC 1275 is a bright knot listed as planetary nebula PK 6-2.1. There is some question as to whether or not PK 6-2.1 is actually a planetary nebula, with a consensus of thought suggesting that it is indeed another type of object and therefore miscataloged. IC 4685 is the designation for the nebulosity around Barnard 303. Finally, just above center along the left margin of the image is a portion of open cluster NGC 6546. This nebula complex in Sagittarius lies slightly more than one degree ENE of its more famous neighbor, the Lagoon Nebula. To see just how it fits into the larger Lagoon Nebula neighborhood, visit my page entitled The Sagittarius Gas Cloud Map for a wide field image.