This nebulous area lies in the constellation Auriga. It is part of a much larger cloud of hydrogen and other gases and dust in that area, in the plane of the Milky Way. I enjoy the nebula's variety. It sports fingers of gas and dust that are glowing, and others that are dark against a glowing background. It has ionization fronts in long lines and glowing rings. Out of the nebula has grown the cluster in the center of the image, Stock 8. A study here suggests that the stars in the cluster are new, between 1 and 5 million years old. Stars are still forming in the region. My favorite image of this area, in vivid color, comes from the Mt. Lemmon Sky Center and is linked here.
Telescope: Astro-Tech AT111EDT and William Optics AFR-IV (eff. at f/5.6)
Camera and Exposure: SXVF-H9 19x1200" (6nm Ha), Alnitak Flat-man flats
Filter: Astronomik 6nm
Guiding: SX Lodestar and SX OAG
Mount: Takahashi NJP
Software: Nebulosity, Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3
Location: The Woodlands, TX
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