Starship Asterisk*

coatesg wrote: ↑Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:21 am Dark clouds over a Coathanger
Copyright: Graeme Coates
https://www.chromosphere.co.uk



Collinder 399 (The Coathanger/Brocchi's Cluster/Al Sufi's Cluster), VdB 126 and surrounds by Graeme Coates, on Flickr

That's a lovely picture! The details are superb and the colors are gorgeous.

It is a well-known fact that the striking Coathanger itself is not a real cluster but an unrelated asterism of stars at widely different distances from us. But in your picture there is a "line" of stars "above" the Coathanger, seemingly divided into two groups, that seem to be enmeshed in seas of blue nebulosity. I guess that those stars, at least, comprise a real cluster or association whose light is reflected back at us by the many obvious dust clouds that are present in this part of the sky. Indeed, the bluish light seems to coincide with an underlying dust lane quite closely.

What a beautiful image!

Ann

Zodiac light with Gegenschein over observatory at La Palma island
Copyright: Martin Činčura



This picture is a crop from 360 panorama. It shows Zodiac light which crosses Milky Way and continues to Gegenschein. It was taken at the beginning of astronomical night when a strong orange airglow was also presented. I was fascinated how strong was Gegenschein for observing with just naked eyes.
And of course when saw Zodiac light under such a dark night sky for the first time I was speechless...

Canon 6D + samyang 24 f 1,4

link to full size images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/140367772 ... otostream/

Ann wrote: ↑Mon Sep 03, 2018 1:54 pm It is a well-known fact that the striking Coathanger itself is not a real cluster but an unrelated asterism of stars at widely different distances from us. But in your picture there is a "line" of stars "above" the Coathanger, seemingly divided into two groups, that seem to be enmeshed in seas of blue nebulosity. I guess that those stars, at least, comprise a real cluster or association whose light is reflected back at us by the many obvious dust clouds that are present in this part of the sky. Indeed, the bluish light seems to coincide with an underlying dust lane quite closely.

What a beautiful image!

Thanks Ann

There's a few catalogue entries (via Simbad) for those nebulae - LBN130 seems to encompass the majority of the reflection nebula that extends down to the Coathanger itself, though there are individual designations (I presume) for many of the areas round the individual stars involved. Very busy area of sky!

Graeme