2019-09-19/20 / Click on image to enlarge
galacticsights
astrophotography
NGC6820
Technical Details
| Location | Zollikerberg, Switzerland |
| Camera | Nikon DSLR D810A |
| Telescope | TS ONTC 12" f/4 Carbon Newton |
| Optics | TS 2,5" Wynne Coma Corrector |
| Focal Length | 1126mm |
| Mount | iOptron CEM60 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount |
| Autoguiding | Lacerta MGEN2 (Autoguiding, Dithering) |
| Focuser | Moonlite |
| Planetarium Software | Stellarium | Image Session Control | APT - Astro Photography Tool v3.5, ASCOM Platform 6 |
| Lights | 40/78 x 120s (total 3h56'), ISO-1600, additional Biases, Flats, no Darks |
| Stacking Software | Pixinsight 1.8, Drizzle 2x |
| Image Processing | Pixinsight 1.8 |
NGC 6820 is an emission nebula that surrounds open cluster NGC 6823 in Vulpecula. The nebula has been discovered by the German astronomer Albert Marth in 1864. The open cluster NGC6823 was previously discovered by William Herschel in 1785. NGC6820 lies about 6000 light years away.
The center of the open cluster is about two million years old and is predominantly represented by many young, bright blue stars. The most striking feature is the trunk-like pillars of dust and gas in the outer parts of the cluster. They are probably formed when surrounding gas and dust is pushed and eroded away by radiation from nearby stars. Remarkable dark globules of gas and dust are also visible in the nebula, much as is seen in the better known Eagle Nebula in Serpens.