M16 (Eagle nebula)

Image taken 30 May 2009, at Clayton Bay, South Australia

Equipment - GSO 8" RC, Takahashi flattener with Astro 40D camera by Central DS

Guiding - ED80 with Orion Star Shoot autoguider on Takahashi EM400 mount.

7 x 10 minute subs

Darks, flats and biases applied

Processed in Images Plus and Photoshop CS3

Notes - This target needs much longer subs than this and more of them too. I am thinking it will need another 10 images for a nice smooth image and I am inclined to think that taking subs around 15 minutes will show more detail in the nebula.

Target details: The Eagle nebula is an emission nebula and located at a distance of 6500 light years. It is the birthing ground for many new stars and is producing stars are we sit looking at this image. Recent data from Spitzer seems to suggest a supernova explosion which occurred nearly 6000 years ago destroyed the nebula shape, but light from this event will not hit Earth for another 500 years yet. So it enjoy it now.