NGC 6520 & Barnard 86
Taken June 14, 2004 @ Kitt Peak National Observatory Image Credit: Fred Calvert / Adam Block / NOAO /AURA / KPNO / NSF
NGC6520 is an Open Star Cluster. The dark object to the upper right is Barnard 86 a Dark Nebula. NGC6520 spans about ten light years and about 5500 light years toward the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius.
The stars in NGC6520 most likely formed from B86 which is a absorption nebula, molecular cloud. Dust from the leftover star forming material block light from the stars that are behind the cloud. Stars in NGC6520 are new blue stars that are only millions of years old, compared to the 4.5 billions year age of our Sun. In the background of NGC6520 is the center bulge of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Equipment:
20" RC Optical System Ritchey Chretien - Cassegrain @ f 5.5 Telescope on a Software Bisque Paramount ME Robotic Mount
SBIG ST10XME with Color Filter Wheel and 6.3 Focal Reducer
Exposure Data:
Luminance = 20 minutes (synthetic) binned 1x1
Red = 20 minutes binned 1x1
Green = 20 minutes binned 1x1
Blue = 20 minutes binned 1x1olor filter wheel