Lurking some 1,200 light-years away at the edge of the Cepheus Flare molecular cloud complex is a ghostly nebula and somewhat isolated Bok globule known as vdB 141 (van den Bergh 141) or Sh2-136 (Sharpless 136). The ghostly shapes of this nebula are cosmic dust clouds that are faintly illuminated in the dimly reflected starlight. This nebula is over two light-years across and at the core of the dark cloud at the top of the nebula in this image, is likely a binary star system in its early stages of formation. (adapted from NASA's APOD)
If you look closely at this image, just below the bright cloud at the center of the nebula, you will see what looks like two figures that have their arms raised.
Telescope: Sky Watcher Quantum 120 Apo @ f/7
Accessories: SW Quantum matched flattener; Dew control by Dew Buster; Alnitak Flat-Man
Mount: Takahashi EM-200 Temma2
Camera: QSI583wsg CCD @ -10.0C
Guiding: Starlight Xpress Lodestar via PHD
Filters: Astrodon E-Series Gen II LRGB filters
Exposure: 28 x 15min. binned 1x1 Luminance; 6 x 10min. binned 2x2 in each R, G, & B
Acquisition: ImagesPlus 5.0 Camera Control
Processing: PixInsight 1.8; Adobe PhotoShop CS5; Noel Carboni’s Actions
Date(s): Oct. 1 & 2, 2013
SQM reading (begin - end): N1:20.97 – 21.04; N2:20.77 – 20.94
Temperature (begin - end): N1:67.0ºF – 68.0ºF; N2:73.0ºF – 72.0ºF
Capture conditions: N1 - transparency: Above Avg 4/5; seeing: Excellent 5/5; Very windy; N2 - transparency: Above Avg 4/5; seeing: Excellent 5/5; Very windy
Location: Camp Hatteras RV Resort, Rodanthe, NC, USA