Summer Wrap Up

As any resident of the Northeastern U.S. can attest, the summer of 2010 was long, hot and sticky. July and August simmered unrelentingly. Even the handful of relatively haze-free evenings were so humid as to make imaging impossible or just plain uncomfortable. Nevertheless, I managed to obtain images of some of the summer sky's gems.

NGC 7380

This is an open star cluster embedded in a large emission nebula. Located about 7,000 light years away in the constellation Cepheus, the star cluster is about 110 light years across and is thought to be about five million years old.

This image is composed of 18, 240-second images taken on August 7 and 22, 180-second images taken on August 29, for a total exposure time of two hours and ten minutes.

The Iris Nebula

This blue reflection nebula is illuminated by light from its central star. Dark dust clouds surround the reflection nebula. Though the Iris Nebula is often cited as NGC 7023, that catalog number actually refers to a near by star cluster. The nebula's proper designation is LBN 487. Roughly six light years across, it is about 1,300 light years away.

This image was created from three and five minute exposures taken August 6 and 24, and September 5, 10, and 15. Total exposure time was just over four and a half hours.

NGC 6888 - The Crescent Nebula

This emission nebula appears in the constellation Cygnus. Located about 5,000 light years away, the nebula is the result of colliding waves of gas emitted by a Wolf-Rayet star.

This closeup image of the Crescent Nebula is a ninety minute exposure, combing images from this year and last.

This wider-field image comprises 26, 180-second exposures taken on August 14, 2010.

M52 & NGC 7635

The image below captures the open cluster M52 and the emission nebula NGC 7635, also known as the Bubble Nebula, in the constellation Cassiopeia.

This image was composed from 23, 180-second images, for an exposure time of around an hour and ten minutes.