NGC 6455

STAR CLOUD IN  SCORPIUS 

 (Image Centred at ra 17h:51m 08s / dec -35:20)

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

DATA

TYPE: Star Cloud

Apparent magnitude: not found

Image FOV: 53 x 40 arc seconds

Distance: not found

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: 8" Orion Optics UK w/TeleVue ParaCorr working at f5.75 and 1150 mm fl

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS

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

SKY CONDITIONS: urban skies

EXPOSURES: LRGB (30,30,30,30) all bin 1x1

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

Just close to the south west of Messier 7 we find NGC 6455. This object is a stellar concentration of stars of our Milky Way around the stellar pair formed by magnitude 8.7 SAO 209348 and magnitude 7 SAO 209346 (at the center of the image). It can be better seen with binoculars and small telescopes. British astronomer John Herschel catalogued it in June of 1837. (*)

Herschel full description reads "...a very extensive nebulous clustering mass. The stars are of excessive smallness and infinitive in number." (**)

NGC 6455 is one of the most dense star fields regions of the Milky Way. Even from my polluted backyard I was able to grab a great deal of this beautiful star field. Some of the bright stars in the upper right are part of Messier 7. Processing program indicates more than 9000 stars in the above image.

(*) Free translation form the Book Exótico Cielo Profundo / Chapter 5, Page 86 (3rd edition) by Rodolfo Ferraiuolo and Enzo De Bernardini  

(**) SEDS