M6 and NGC6416 in Scorpius

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Scope: Zenithstar 66 APO f/4.5; Location: Laguna Mountains, CA;  16 May  2009; Camera: Artemis285

Exposure: 6 x 6 min H-Alpha exposure (bin 1x1), 10 x 6 min exposure with Baader IR Block Filter (bin 1x1); 6 x 3 min RGB (bin 2x2)

Processing: Images were captured Artemis Capture (as FITs). Aligned/stacked and dark subtracted in Astroart with Sigma Combine. H-Alpha Luminance and Color channels were scaled and rough color balanced in Astroart.  Channels were co-registered in Astroart. The 6 minute IR block exposures were stacked and blended with the H-Alpha stack for the main luminance construction.  Level adjustments and curves were applied to bring out dimmer stars. LRGB combine was done in Photoshop. A light color balance change on low signal levels was performed in Photoshop.  Final touches  applied in Photoshop.  Final Image size is approximately 1392x1040.

This image was guided; North is up.    M6 is an open cluster in the constellation of Scorpius - it is the brighter cluster on the right. The cluster on the left is NGC 6416. This region of our Milky Way galaxy contains a fair amount of interstellar matter including hydrogen. This gas has been stimulated to emission accounting for the faint red glow. This glow is capture in the extended H-Alpha filter exposures. M6 is approximately 1,600  light years distant from Earth. This image replaces an earlier image that can be seen in the Archives here. Horizontal FOV is 105'

Image Center is approximately - Equatorial 2000: RA: 17h 41m 53s Dec: -32°32'22"

All images and content remain the property of Jim Thommes - copyright 2003 - 2012

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