In the Heart of the Lobster
NGC 6357 in Scorpius
Éder Iván
The Lobster Nebula - NGC 6357 - is located approximately 6,000 light-years away in the direction of Scorpius. The image shows the inner region of the nebula, where intense star formation is taking place. The powerful radiation from the young giant stars that have already formed blows the nebula’s material outward in a bubble-like pattern, which can be seen in several places: it’s as if we were peering into the chambers and atria of an imaginary heart. The image was taken using a special black-and-white camera and narrow-band filters, then brought to life through false-color processing - known as the Hubble palette.
Image details
- Instrument:
- 300/1200 Newton
- Camera:
- ASI2600MM Pro, Ha, SII, OIII filters
- Mount:
- SkyWatcher EQ8
- Guiding:
- Off-axis, ASI220mini
- Exposure time, filters:
- 11.5 hours total
- Location, date:
- Rooisand Desert Ranch, Namibia, May 2022
- Observing conditions:
- Transparency: 9/10, Seeing: 6 - 8/10, Temperature: +15°C
- Processing:
- ImagesPlus, Registar, Photoshop
