COAL SACK

DARK CLOUD IN CRUX

 (Image Centred at ra 12h:77m / dec -60:45)

Observatorio La Banderita, La Pampa, Argentina

DATA

Type: Dark Cloud

Visual Brightness: n/a

Apparent diameter: 7 x 5 degrees 

Distance: 600 light years

IMAGE INFORMATION

Optic: William Optics Zenithstar working at f4.8

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS  

FILTERS: Baader LRGB

Mount: Sky Watcher NEQ6

SKY CONDITIONS: pristine skies, seeing regular

EXPOSURES: LRGB (40,30,30,30)

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

The Coal Sack nebula is one of the most prominent dark nebulas in the sky. Under dark skies it is easily visible due to contrast with the dense star background of the southern Milky Way. Its main area is located in Crux, but spreads also into the constellations of Centaurus and Musca.

The image is showing the north part of the Coal Sack. The bright and relative small nebula in the upper left is called RCW 71 which is ionized by the 0.95 V star also known as HD 311999, center top the popular Jewel Box or NGC 4755 and, to the upper right open galaxy cluster NGC 4852 with 12 arc minutes in diameter and 8.9 magnitude.