M 6, M 7, NGC 6334, NGC 6357

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About this Image

In the center of this image the open cluster M 7 is an attractive binocular target. The surrounding deep milkyway star field is only visible on longer exposures like this one. In the upper right corner the more distant open cluster M 6 is present. To the right the 2 emission nebulas NGC 6334/6457 are glowing deeply red. The image shows the tail area of Scorpius.
The distance to M 7 is approx. 800 light years, to M 6 is 1600 light years.
North is up.


Technical Details
Optics

TEC-140 refractor with flattener at f/7

Mount AP-400 GEM
Camera SBIG STL-11000M at -25C, internal filter wheel
Filters Astronomik RGB
Date May 20, 2006.
Location Hakos/Namibia
Sky Conditions mag 6.5, high transparency, temperature 5 C,
Exposure RGB= 10:10:10 min (10-minute sub-exposures)
all 1x1.
Processing Image aquisition in Maxim DL 4.15; Image preprocessing in CCDStack;
Photoshop: curves, color balance