The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is one of the closest star-forming regions to our solar system. It lies 460 light-years away in the constellation Ophiuchus and covers an angular area of 4.5° × 6.5°. Within this cloud is material that totals about 3,000 times the mass of the Sun.
Telescope: Pentax 6x7 SMC 150mm @f/5.6
Accessories: QSI-to-Pentax adapter; 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 Tru-balance E-Series Gen II LRGB filters
Exposure: 19 x 10min. binned 1x1 Luminance; 10 x 5min. binned 2x2 in each R, G, & B
Acquisition: ImagesPlus 5.0 Camera Control
Processing: PixInsight 1.8; Adobe PhotoShop CC
Date(s): June 30 & July 3, 2014
SQM reading (begin - end): N1:20.94 – 20.57; N2:20.19 – 21.01
Temperature (begin - end): N1:75.9ºF – 73.4ºF; N2:64.4ºF – 59.0ºF
Capture conditions: N1 - transparency: Avg 3/5; seeing: Avg 3/5; N2 - transparency: Above Avg 4/5; seeing: Above Avg 4/5
Location: Natchez Trace State Park, Pin Oak Lake RV Campground, Lexington/Wildersville, TN, USA