DARK TOWER - COMETARY GLOBULE

Scorpious

(ra: 16,47.9 / dec -41º:15')

July 2011,  Los Molinos - Córdoba, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Cometary Globule

VISUAL BRIGHTNESS: N/A

FOV: Approximately 106 times 70 arc minutes

DISTANCE: 5000 light years

OBJECT DESCRIPTION

A bit more than one degree north west from Zeta Scorpii or NGC 6231 lies this massive structure of cosmic dust. Its shape resembles a dark tower emerging from the star field background. Within the top of the tower the image shows some reflection nebula exited by intense radiation of hot O-type stars. Typical of the Cometary Globule are the stellar winds coming from the head towards the tail. The energetic ultraviolet light also powers the globule bordering reddish glow of hydrogen gas. (*)

The image was taken during our winter vacation in Cordoba province late July where the object was falling deep into the west. The sky condition was not ideal for this type of object. The Ha subs were of 20 minutes each to bring back the faint emission structure. This time the image is presented in the perspective for the southern observer.

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: TMB 92 @ f5,5

MOUNT: NEQ6 SW

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS

FILTERS: Baader LRGB

EXPOSURES: LRGB (30,120,30,30,30) 

Guiding: 80/400 Orion Short Tube and PHD Guiding v 12

PROCESSING: Sigma Median Combination and hot picture reduction in Images Plus. Photoshop CS

(*) Free adaptation from text of NASA APOD; Robert Gendler and David Malin AAO