| Name | Swan Nebula, Omega Nebula |
| Designation(s) | M17, Sh2-45, NGC 6618 |
| Object Type(s) | Emission Nebula |
| Relevant Catalog(s) | All (Chron), Messier, Sharpless |
| Obs. Lat/Long | 42° 17', 073° 57' |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Date and Time Observed | 2024-06-04 00:43:00 |
| Instrument | EdgeHD 8" f10-2,032mm FL |
| Camera | ASI294mc-Pro |
| Image Details | Up is 337.7 degrees E of N. Total integration time was 14m. Exposures 30s@305g, L-eNhance Filter. Darks subtracted. Dithered and recentered in SharpCap. No guiding.. |
| Description | This is an updated observation of M17, supplementing one I captured in November of 2022, representing one of my very first captures. The original observation was truly problematic: I was unable to capture a useful "as adjusted" image out of SharpCap. Instead, I discovered the original stack when looking through my archives to create this website, and managed to process it to the image you see in the gallery. It represented only 4m 40s of integration. I was using 4s exposures, which suggests it was windy night observing using my C9.25 with reducer on a shaky deck. The new observation used my EdgeHD at F10 on my pier with 30s exposures. The capture is still only 16m, but used the L-Enhance filter which improved contrast and color balance. The "swan" nickname is clear if you view the full-frame shot in the gallery. The white bar is the swan's neck. Its eye is the black spot close to the top edge if you follow the neck up, and a rounded bill is suggested by the nebula extending to the left of the eye. The Swan's body is presented in a foreshortened view, spreading out behind both sides of the head. |
| Related Observations | M17 (2) |
| Catalog Links | |
