Click on image for larger version.
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Few regions of nebulosity show the variety of color and
detail that this small region around NGC 6559 does. At the
top of this image wispy dark clouds hang delicately in the
foreground of diffuse glowing hydrogen gas. These lead
further down towards a very bright,red arc of gas that
seems to sheild luminous and hot stars beneath it. Presumably
the birth and subsequent energetic radiative output of these stars
causes the gas to glow very brightly. Even though these stars
have strived to push away all of the gas and dust near them;
thicker portions remain (the mountains of dark nebulosity) and
continue to scatter light which color the area with hints of
blue and purple. NGC 6559 can be found in most
wide field images of the Lagoon Nebula. Also
be certain to visit IC 1274 as it is a
related glowing gas cloud to this complex.
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Equipment
20in RC Optical Systems telescope operating at f/8.4Paramount ME Robotic Telescope Mount
SBIG ST10XME CCD camera with color filter wheel
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color production was used to create this image.
Luminance = 105 minutes
binned 1x1 |
Minimum credit line: John and Christie Connor/Adam Block/NOAO/AURA/NSF
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Updated: 06/11/2004