Cocoon Nebula

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"IC 5146 (also Caldwell 19, Sh 2-125, and the Cocoon Nebula) is a reflection/emission nebula and Caldwell object in the constellation Cygnus. The NGC description refers to IC 5146 as a cluster of 9.5 mag stars involved in a bright and dark nebula. The cluster is also known as Collinder 470. The cluster is about 4,000 ly away, and the central star that lights it formed about 100,000 years ago; the nebula is about 12 arcmins across, which is equivalent to a span of 15 light years.  When viewing IC 5146, dark nebula Barnard 168 is an inseparable part of the experience, forming a dark lane that surrounds the cluster and projects westward forming the appearance of a trail behind the Cocoon."

Date :  Oct 2009
Location : Backridge Observatory, West Virginia

Equipment used :
 Lens or telescope -- Homemade 16" Newtonian with MPCC
 Mount -- AP 1200
 Camera -- SBIG ST-10

Acquistion Software : ACP, MaxIm DL, Focusmax
Processing Software : Photoshop

Exposure Detail : Total hours 2.8