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M16 - The "Pillars of Creation"
in the Eagle Nebula
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Copyright 2010 Hap Griffin
Date/Location:
April 29, 2010 Griffin/Hunter
Observatory Bethune, SC
This is the central region of M16, the Eagle Nebula. Prominent in the
center are the "Pillars of Creation", made famous in the Hubble Telescope image
of the same name. The horizontal structure at the left is "The Spire",
itself 9.5 light-years long.
M16 lies at a distance of 7000 light-years.
Camera: QSI 583wsg
Filters: Astrodon E Series Generation 2 HA
CCD Temperature: -20 C
Instrument: Planewave CDK 12.5"
Focal Ratio: f/8
Mount: AP-1200
Guiding: Auto via the QSI camera's built in Off-Axis Guider
mirror and an SBIG ST-402 Guider
Conditions: Clear and cool
Weather: 55 F, still
Exposure: 120 minutes total (12 x 10 minutes Hydrogen Alpha)
Capture: CCDAutopilot 4 w/ Maxim DL Camera Control, focused automatically w/
FocusMax
Processing: Frame calibrations, alignment and stacking with ImagesPlus v3.80.
Finishing in Photoshop CS4.