skypointer2000
The Story of Rho
The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is one of my favorite spring targets. Not only is the region extremely colorful, it also consists of many interesting astronomical objects:
- Rho Ophiuchi is the star within the blue reflection nebula. If you zoom into the image you can see that it is actually a 3-star system. The blue color of the nebula is produced by Rayleigh Scattering, the same process that colors our daylight sky blue.
- The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex on the other hand is the dark nebula south of the star Rho Ophiuchi. At a distance of 427 light-years, it is one of the closest star forming regions to the solar system.
- The yellow star within the yellow nebula is Antares, the brightest star of the constellation Scorpius. It is a red supergiant, nearing the end of its live. The star has depleted the fuel supply of hydrogen within its core and is now bloated to monstrous proportions. As it goes through its death throes, the star has expelled a lot of its mass as shells of gas and dust into space. The nebulosity surrounding Antares is created by this gas and dust which is reflecting the dying star’s yellowish light.
- To the right of Antares is the globular cluster M4. Globular clusters are massive, tightly packed spheres that contain thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of individual stars.
- Above M4 you find Sigma Scorpii. It is multiple star system of hot, young stars, emitting of UV radiation. As this high energy UV light hits the hydrogen atoms it energizes them, and the electrons separate from the atomic nucleus. When they recombine, the electrons give off a reddish-pink light which makes the gas cloud glow.
- Below Antares is Tau Scorpii, surrounded by another faint emission nebula of energized hydrogen.
- Both Sigma and Tau Scorpii share the same name: Al Niyat. They got their name from ancient Arabic astronomers and it means, "the arteries". Seeing how these stars with their red nebula flank Antares, the heart of Scorpius, it makes sense that they could be viewed as the arteries of that colossal, dying heart.
As you can see, the region around Rho Ophiuchi has it all. Its colors tell a story of darkness and light, of peaceful coexistence and violence and of birth and death.
EXIF
Canon EOS 6D, astro-modified
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 135mm
iOptron SkyTracker Pro
Sky:
15 × 60s @ ISO1600
Foreground:
7 x 60s @ ISO3200
The Story of Rho
The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is one of my favorite spring targets. Not only is the region extremely colorful, it also consists of many interesting astronomical objects:
- Rho Ophiuchi is the star within the blue reflection nebula. If you zoom into the image you can see that it is actually a 3-star system. The blue color of the nebula is produced by Rayleigh Scattering, the same process that colors our daylight sky blue.
- The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex on the other hand is the dark nebula south of the star Rho Ophiuchi. At a distance of 427 light-years, it is one of the closest star forming regions to the solar system.
- The yellow star within the yellow nebula is Antares, the brightest star of the constellation Scorpius. It is a red supergiant, nearing the end of its live. The star has depleted the fuel supply of hydrogen within its core and is now bloated to monstrous proportions. As it goes through its death throes, the star has expelled a lot of its mass as shells of gas and dust into space. The nebulosity surrounding Antares is created by this gas and dust which is reflecting the dying star’s yellowish light.
- To the right of Antares is the globular cluster M4. Globular clusters are massive, tightly packed spheres that contain thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of individual stars.
- Above M4 you find Sigma Scorpii. It is multiple star system of hot, young stars, emitting of UV radiation. As this high energy UV light hits the hydrogen atoms it energizes them, and the electrons separate from the atomic nucleus. When they recombine, the electrons give off a reddish-pink light which makes the gas cloud glow.
- Below Antares is Tau Scorpii, surrounded by another faint emission nebula of energized hydrogen.
- Both Sigma and Tau Scorpii share the same name: Al Niyat. They got their name from ancient Arabic astronomers and it means, "the arteries". Seeing how these stars with their red nebula flank Antares, the heart of Scorpius, it makes sense that they could be viewed as the arteries of that colossal, dying heart.
As you can see, the region around Rho Ophiuchi has it all. Its colors tell a story of darkness and light, of peaceful coexistence and violence and of birth and death.
EXIF
Canon EOS 6D, astro-modified
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 135mm
iOptron SkyTracker Pro
Sky:
15 × 60s @ ISO1600
Foreground:
7 x 60s @ ISO3200