MESSIER 24

STAR CLOUD IN  SAGITTARIUS 

 (Image Centred at ra 18h:17m 35s / dec -18:39)

CLICK IN THE IMAGE FOR A HIGH RESOLUTION VIEW

July 2014 - Home Backyard in Martinez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Star Cloud

Apparent magnitude: 3.1

Apparent diameter: 95 x 35 arc minutes

Distance: 10.000 light years 

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: William Optics ZenithStar 66 at f4.8 (and calibrating....) with WO FF 0.8x

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS

FILTERS: Baader LRGB, 2" IDAS LPS for all channels

SKY CONDITIONS: urban skies

EXPOSURES: LHaRGB (40,30,30,30,30)

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

Also known as the Small Sagittarius Star cloud is a particular object in the Messier catalogue. Discovered in 1764 it was described as a "large nebulosity containing many stars..." Messier 24 is a perfect target for binoculars under dark skies. Within the cloud many objects can be distinguished in the image: NGC 6603 which is the star cluster un the upper regions shines at magnitude 11.

Edward Emerson Barnard catalogued two prominent dark regions in the northern potions of the cloud labeled as B92 and B93. Both are interstellar dust cloud contrasting very nicely with the crowded star field.

At the center left of the image we have a colorful complex area: IC 1283, 1284 and 4700 form the HII clouds which absorbs the radiation of nearby stars and releasing red light. The two bright blue reflecting clouds are NGC 6589 and 6590 which appear to be superimposed and merged with the mentioned HII area.