N66 and NGC 346
N66 and NGC 346
This image shows the brightest starforming region (H II region) in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), designated N66, some 210,000 light-years distant.
In the middle of this veil-like emission nebula, one can find the open cluster NGC 346.
The massive stars of NGC 346 are short lived, but very energetic. Their winds and radiation sweep out an interstellar cavern in the gas and dust cloud about 200 light-years across, triggering star formation and sculpting the region's dense inner edge.
Image acquired with CHI-1, data from 6 one-click observations.
Total exposure time 360 minutes
SHO 12 subs of 600s with each filter (SII, H-alpha and OIII)
In the middle of this veil-like emission nebula, one can find the open cluster NGC 346.
The massive stars of NGC 346 are short lived, but very energetic. Their winds and radiation sweep out an interstellar cavern in the gas and dust cloud about 200 light-years across, triggering star formation and sculpting the region's dense inner edge.
Image acquired with CHI-1, data from 6 one-click observations.
Total exposure time 360 minutes
SHO 12 subs of 600s with each filter (SII, H-alpha and OIII)
SPECIFICATIONS
Telescope
CHI-1 Planewave CDK24
Camera
FLI PL9000
Location
El Sauce Observatory, Chile
Date of observation
12 - 29 Sept 2022
Filters
SHO
Processing
PixInsight, Photoshop CC with AstroPanel Pro, Astronomy Tools, Topaz Sharpen AI and NoiseXTerminator plug-ins
Credits
One-click observations TL
