This is the bright region of the Milky Way known as the Scutum Starcloud, in the constellation of Scutum the Shield. The bright Messier star cluster. M11, aka the Wild Duck Cluster, is embedded in the starcloud at left. This is a wonderful area to scan with binoculars and this field of view with the little RedCat astrograph is similar to what binoculars would show. The mass of dark dusty nebulosity at top is Barnard 111 and B110. The dark nebula at right is B103. The smaller Messier open star cluster M26 is at bottom. At lower left is the small globular cluster NGC 6712 with the tiny (on this scale) cyan-colored planetary nebula IC 1295 beside it at left. At lower right beside the orange star Alpha Scuti is the star cluster NGC 6664 with smaller Trumpler 34 to the left of NGC 6624. Above M11 is the small open cluster NGC 6704. This is a stack of 6 x 6-minute exposures with the William Optics RedCat 51mm astrograph at f/5 and the Canon EOS Ra at ISO 800 with LENR on as it was the warmest night of the summer, August 18, 2020. Aligned, stacked and median combined in Photoshop to eliminate some satellite trails. Autoguided with the ZWO ASIAir and ASI120MM guide camera with the RedCat on the Astro-Physics Mach1 mount. No filters employed here.
The constellation of Serpens, the east segment known as Serpens Cauda (its tail) in the northern summer sky, with parts of Ophiuchus at right and Scutum at left. The Serpens-Ophiuchus Double Cluster is at left, made of NGC 6633 (right) and IC 4756 (left). The binocular cluster IC 4665 is above greenish Beta Ophiuchi (Cebalrai) at centre. Blue Rasalhague and orange Rasalgethi are at top right. To the left (east) of Cebalrai at centre is the V-shaped asterism known as Taurus Poniatowski or the “Little Bull,” a group that resembles the Hyades in Taurus. The group was named for the King of Poland, Stanislaus Poniatowski in 1777 by Marcin Poczobutt. The constellation pattern was never accepted but the asterism, now in Ophiuchus, is a fine one for binoculars. This is a stack of 4 x 1-minute exposures with the 50mm Sigma lens at f/2.8 and Canon 6D at ISO 1600, plus an additional 1 min exposure through the Kenko Softon filter to add the star glows. All tracked on the MSM SiFo Tracker from China. Taken from home July 24, 2019.
Sirius (at top), the brightest star in the sky, and Canopus (above the trees), the scond brightest star in the sky, as seen from southern New Mexico. From a latitude of +33° Canopus just clears the tops of the trees. This is a stack of 2 x 2 minute exposures with the 35mm lens at f/2.8 and Canon 5D MkII at ISO 1600.
