Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Great Carina Nebula

NASA ^ | Friday, May 27, 2016 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: A jewel of the southern sky, the Great Carina Nebula, also known as NGC 3372, spans over 300 light-years, one of our galaxy's largest star forming regions. Like the smaller, more northerly Great Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is easily visible to the unaided eye, though at a distance of 7,500 light-years it is some 5 times farther away. This gorgeous telescopic close-up reveals remarkable details of the region's central glowing filaments of interstellar gas and obscuring cosmic dust clouds. The field of view is over 50 light-years across. The Carina Nebula is home to young, extremely massive stars, including the stars of open cluster Trumpler 14 (below and right of center) and the still enigmatic variable Eta Carinae, a star with well over 100 times the mass of the Sun. Eta Carinae is the brightest star, seen here just above the dusty Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324). While Eta Carinae itself maybe on the verge of a supernova explosion, X-ray images indicate that the Great Carina Nebula has been a veritable supernova factory.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit and Copyright: Peter Ward (Barden Ridge Observatory)]

[SunkenCiv]

Ack! Playing catchup again!

The Big One

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[sargon]

This is the first time I’ve seen an APOD image all mucked up with copyright watermarks...

[Hebrews 11:6]

This is the second time this week you’ve treated us to a gorgeous image. Modern abstract artists make feeble efforts to create enjoyable art—at least some have that as a motive—but none can come close to what God already has fashioned. I have the Ultra-Deep Field as my computer-screen desktop and had the gorgeous “Pillars of Creation” Hubble photo on my office wall until I retired.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks for the kind remarks. I’ve got to save these two most recent “The Big One”s.

[dragnet2]

Pillars of Creation, Hubble image?

Above is Hubbles Eagle Nebula M-16 (Pillars region close up) which Hubble made famous. This is probably similar to what you had hanging up on your office wall.

I was so impressed when I initially saw it I had to find this object and see it and shoot it myself. The below is my wide field of the entire nebula but on a much smaller budget than Hubble.☺

Below is my close up on central "pillar" area. Next time I visit this nebula, I am confident I can squeeze out much more data and obtain considerably more resolution detail by changing some data imaging/processing techniques, filtering changes, etc.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Yep, that's the one. Your photo is magnificent! How about some technical detail, just for fun, about your telescope and camera?

It occurs to me that the time may not be far off, with SpaceX trying to drive down launch-costs, that some entrepreneur might launch a telescope and offer buffs such as you, for a fee, some telescope time. Could happen...

[dragnet2]

The scope is an older 10” Schmidt Cassegrain, set onto a equatorial mount, with supporting pier sunk into about 1500 lbs of concrete for stability. The scope control/imaging can be remotely operated if desired. A 60D camera was used at prime focus using a focal reducer in the optical train, with LP filters, @ISO800. The image data was a series of 60 raw exposures @ x35 seconds each. All data was processed, calibrated, stacked and combined in DSS software. More data should have been obtained, ie, 250 raws instead of 60, among other changes. Other than the scope drive/tracking, no other guiding was performed, which explains some drifting. Thanks for the kind words.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Way beyond this armchair astronomer, I'm afraid--but well done! I admire your ambition to improve on an already-splendid effort. If you--make that, when you--accomplish it, and then if you recall our little conversation, I'd be glad of a peek.

[dragnet2]

By the way, the "Pillars" are believed to have been destroyed, blown away by a supernova about 6,000 years ago. But the Pillars of Creation still appear intact from our perspective here on earth. It's believed in about 1000 years we here on earth we'll see the shock wave begin it's destruction on the nebula. The Universe is big beyond our imaginations. The pillar on the left is about 28 trillion miles tall. I don't know about most other folks, but that makes me smile.

Thanks for your interest in the shot. When I eventually revisit the nebula I'll ya ping you after processing.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thanks for the heads-up--I was unaware of their supposed demise. I've made a note on my calendar to watch for that in 3016 or so.

I wholeheartedly agree with you about the universe's immensity, which I've learned about in some detail. That knowledge makes me appreciate even more the immensity in every way of its, and our, Creator.