The Pipe Nebula

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About this Image

The Pipe Nebula is a large area of dust in the constellation of Ophiuchus to the west of Antares. This dark nebulosity cataloged as Lynd's LDN 1773 and in Barnard's catalog as B77, B78 and B59 is resembling a smoking pipe. Close to the center of our milky way this dark patch can be recognized by naked eye in between of rich star clouds. Interstellar dust is absorbing the light of the bright starclouds behind. Obscuring dust is reddening the stars in the left part of the image. To the top of the image the Snake Nebula (B72) is visible.
North is up.


Technical Details
Optics

Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L lens at f/3.5

Mount AP-400 GEM
Camera SBIG STL-11000M at -20C, internal filter wheel
Filters Astronomik RGB
Date May 28, 2006.
Location Hakos/Namibia
Sky Conditions mag 7 sky, high transparency, temperature 14 C,
Exposure RGB= 15:15:15 min (5-minute sub-exposures)
all 1x1.
Processing Image aquisition and calibration in Maxim DL 4.15; straight RGB combine;
Photoshop: curves, no color balance necessary;