Large Magellanic Cloud

clic for 30% size 1202 x 802 (335 kB)

clic for 50% size 2004 x 1336 (816 kB)


About this Image

The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is an irregular dwarf galaxy orbiting our Milky Way galaxy, and thus is a member of our Local Group of galaxies. At its distance of 179,000 light years a long time the LMC was considered as the nearest external galaxy. Although a small irregular galaxy, the LMC is full of interesting objects including diffuse nebulae (especially the Tarantula Nebula, a giant H II region, above the LMC), globular and open clusters, planetary nebulae etc.
North is up.

Below you see a 150 % size crop on the Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2020). The L channel has been enhanced by a 5 min L image with the TMB.


Technical Details
Optics

Canon 200mm EF L lens fully open at f/2.8

Mount AP-400 GEM
Camera SBIG STL-11000M at -20C, internal filter wheel
Filters Astronomik LRGB
Date Aug 14, 2004.
Location Hakos/Namibia
Sky Conditions mag 6, good transparency, temperature 13 C,
Exposure LRGB= 10:10:10:10 min (5-minute sub-exposures)
all 1x1.
Processing Image aquisition in Maxim DL 4.0; Image calibration, aligning, mean stacking, DDP and color synthesis in ImagesPlus;
Photoshop: curves, color balance.