M16 (IC4703, NGC 6611)

Emission Nebula with Open Star Cluster in Serpens (Cauda), distance: 7000 ly, app mag: 6.4, app size: 7 arcmin
Right Ascension 18 : 18.8 (h:m) ; Declination -13 : 47 (deg:m)

Cluster M16 (NGC 6611) discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745-6. Nebula M16 (IC 4703) discovered by Charles Messier in 1764.

Lying in the constellation Serpens, close to the borders to Scutum and Sagittarius, and in the next inner spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy from us (the Sagittarius or Sagittarius-Carina Arm) a great cloud of interstellar gas and dust has entered a vivid process of star formation. Open star cluster M16 has formed from this great gaseous and dusty cloud, the diffuse Eagle Nebula IC 4703, which is now caused to shine by emission light, excited by the high-energy radiation of its massive hot, young stars. It is actually still in the process of forming new stars.
[Quoted from: SEDS]

LRGB 30 25 25 25 (5 min subs), 10 darks + 10 flats for each channel ...(30.08.2011)
Ha 36 (6 min subs), 6 darks + 10 flats ...(18.07.2012)

guided, captured and calibrated with MaximDL 5.09; Curves, Levels, Color Balance, Noise Reduction with ACDSee Pro5

FLI ML8300 at -25°C ; ambient temp: +25 to +22°C, humidity: 40%, SQM: 19.53 mag/arcsec2
FLI CFW-2-7 Filter Wheel + Baader 50mm Filter Set
Guiding: MonsterMOAG + SXV-H9C
TEC 180FL , AP1200GTO

cropped to 3x2 aspect ratio