Dates & Location

Catalogue identification

Messier 16
The Eagle Nebula
The "Pillars of Creation" - name attributed by the Hubble Space Telescope scientic group.

In this image, North is up

AstroPhysics AP155 mm focal length, F7.1
Paramount ME German equatorial Mount.
Camera - SBIG STT-8300FWG with internal 7 position FW and OAG
TheSkyX Pro telescope control.
SGP used for camera, PHD Guide and Focus control.
Lakeside Focuser S/W on AP Rack-and Pinion drawtube

.

Where it is in space

This field is approx 116 x 88 arcminutes - ie ~ 4 x 3 Moon diameters
M16 lies approx 5° degrees South of the star HIP 90135 in the constellation of Serpens Cauda.

Remote session using Splashtop control from Ravenshead, UK
Exposures: R:G:B 12 x 10 min each for RGB stars master frame only.
Narrowband exposures:Ha 12 x 20 min, OIII 12 x 20 min
S

All sub-exposures -30°C. All images binned 1x1.
Automated remote sessions using Sequence Generator Pro (SGP)

The pillars of creation are a stellar nursery composed of gas and dust slowly condensing into massive stars. Once the nuclear fusions take place the intense radiation emitted by these hot blue stars slowly eat away the surrounding clouds and with the varying density of these huge clouds, great shapes are etched out which are now illumintaed by the numerous stars in the vicinity. The "pillars" we see are about 5 light years tall.

The nebula is approx 6,500 - 7,000 light years away in our Milky Way galaxy. loud.

Processing Methods

All data calibration with CCDStack. Lum, RGB masters and RGB colour combine prepared in PixInsight.
Master NB colour created in PixInsight
Master HSO+RGB) colour created in PhotoShop CS6.
DDP stretching, colour balancing and finishing in PS CS6

Back to Top