ETA CARINA REGION

Eta Carinae

Location (ra: 10:43,8/ dec -59:52)

DATA

TYPE: Emission and Reflection Nebula

VISUAL MAGNITUDE: N/A

SIZE: Roughly Photograph 120 arc minutes

DISTANCE 8000 light years

OBJECT DESCRIPTION

This image covers part of the Eta Carina Nebula Complex. At the center / right of the image the circular structure of the Keyhole nebula is fairly visible. The Key Hole  contains filaments of hot and fluorescent gas along with dark dusty clouds all of them in constant and chaotic movement. It was discovered by John Herschel in the XIX century. The region has the hottest and massive stars known. Among them Eta Carina star which contains between 100 and 150 times the mass of our Sun. This young super massive star of 2 to 3 millions of years pumps in six seconds the energy our Sun radiates in a whole year. Due its extraordinary mass is expected to be ended as a super nova in a close future.

The image was taken in clear skies, during vacation season in Merlo, San Luis, Argentina. The LXD 75 was able to run only 15 seconds before the trails start to shown up. My lack of knowledge on how to use it and didn't perform a good polar alignment.  In addition the ED was out of collimation so the stars and the image was strongly digitally manipulated.

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: Orion ED 80 @f7.5

MOUNT: MEADE LXD 75

SKY CONDITIONS: very good

CAMERA: Canon DSRL 20Da

FILTERS: IDAS LPS

EXPOSSURES: 30 x 30 seconds  

PROCESSED: Sigma Combine in ImagesPlus, Photoshop CS