SBIG ST8300M, Astrodon filters: RGB E-Series GenII
LRGB Total 2:05 hours = L 80 min. [16x5 min.] + + R,G,B 3x5 min. each
Boren-Simon 2.8-8 CF (Carbon Fiber) OTA - http://www.powernewts.com
NEQ6 mount, guided w/PHD and EQMOD

Dark dust lit by the bright yellow star Antares highlight this photogenic starscape of the southern sky. A wider angle image shows the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy connected to Antares by streams of dust knows as the Dark River. At the head of the Dark River the dust appears in dense knots. One of the densest knots is B44, pictured near the bottom right of the image.

Off to the left of the above image lies Antares, a star so bright that the pictured dust reflects its light, giving it a distinct yellow hue. Light from the blue star on the image left creates a surrounding blue reflection nebula named IC 4605.

B44 and IC 4605 lies about 500 light years distant toward the constellation of the Scorpion.
(Ref. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090615.html)

This image is 1500 x 1118 pixels