CG 4, a faint cometary globule

Original plate appearance (left) and after photographic amplification
Plate taken in blue light with the Anglo-Australian Telescope

Throughout the Milky Way there are compact dust clouds, seemingly devoid of stars to make them visible. However, there are stars nearby and their light is feebly reflected by the dusty grains. These objects are faint, and a long exposre AAT plate (left) just shows a faint outline of the globule.

After analogue photographic amplification of this image many more faint star are seen, as well as much faint deatil in the nebula.

We also have a colour version of this image, made from three combined, photographically amplified RGB exposures.

David Malin 2006 Jan 27