IC 4604 - RHO OPHIUCHUS NEBULA

Reflexion Complex in Ophiuchus

(ra: 16,25.6 / dec -23:26)

MAY  2011, Mercedes - Buenos Aires, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Emission Nebula

Apparent Magnitude: NA

Apparent Diameter:  60  arcs minutes

DISTANCE: 460 lights years

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: Orion Optics UK 150/750 f5 Ultra Grade Mirror with Baader MPCC

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS

MOUNT: NEQ6

GUIDING: Synta 70/400 refractor with Starlight Xpress LodeStar AstroArt 3.0 - Control Interface 3.72 plug in

FILTERS: Astronomik Type II 

SKY CONDITIONS: transparency and seeing regular

EXPOSURES: LHaRGB (40,20,20,20)

PROCESSING: Calibration in Images Plus Sigma Media (no darks, flats, bias applied), CCD Sharp, NASA Photoshop Fits Liberator, Photoshop CS2

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

Rho Ophiuchi is a triple star system located at the southern end of the constellation Ophiuchus near de limit with Scorpius. The stars are embedded in a large blue reflection nebulosity catalogued as IC 4604 which is mixed with several filaments of dark nebulae. This region is also part of a larger dust and nebulosity region known as the Rho Ophiuchus / Antares complex.

The night was threatened by disperse clouds so there was not too much time for this object. As a consequence the camera was operated in bin 2x2 for all the channels, loosing some resolution in the picture.