AAO image reference AAT 20. « Previous || Next »
Top left is NE. Image width is about 29 arc min
Image and text © 1981-2002, Anglo-Australian Observatory, photograph by David Malin.
Our view towards the centre of the Galaxy is obscured by extensive clouds of interstellar dust in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius. The large-scale, patchy nature of the obscuration can be seen with the unaided eye and it is evident on smaller scales from the uneven distribution of background stars across this picture. Light from bright stars within the dust produces the two blue reflection nebulae (NGC 6589 and 6590), and these stars are members of a loose open cluster of stars, NGC 6595 (Sharpless 37) which is at a distance of about 5,900 light years. A large, almost transparent cloud of hydrogen, mixed with traces of dust, glows with a characteristic magenta hue over most of the field of view. This is known as IC 1283, 1284 and 4700 and is likely at a similar distance to NCC 6595.
Entry from NGC 2000.0 (R.W. Sinnott, Ed.) © Sky Publishing Corporation, 1988:
NGC 6589 18 16.9 -19 46 D Sgr 5. D* in centre of eF, pL neby NGC 6590 C+N 18 17.0 -19 53 s Sgr 4. D* in centre of pF, pL, R neby; = 6595 NGC 6595 OC 18 17.0 -19 53 s Sgr 11. 7. p F, pL, cE, ** inv; = IC 4700 NGC 6605 OC 18 17.1 -14 58 s Ser 6. p Cl, lRi, lC, st 10...12 IC 4700 18 17.1 -19 52 x Sgr *9.4 in dense neb; = 6595 IC 1283 Nb 18 17.3 -19 44 d Sgr *9.3 nebulous IC 1284 Nb 18 17.7 -19 40 x Sgr 10. *7.6 in neb, 15' diam
Related Image
UKS 22. The Milky Way south of Messier 17
For details of photographic exposure, search technical table by AAT reference number.
Image availability: Photo Print