Description:

The Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex is a remarkable rich and colorful corner of the sky in the constellation Ophiuchus. The region is composed of dust and gas that is collapsing under its own gravity to form new stars. At a distance of about 500 light years, it is probably the closest stellar nursery to our Solar System.

The Cloud Complex gets its name from Rho Ophiuchi (visual magnitude +4.63) a hot binary star system in the constellation Ophiuchus. Rho Oph is embedded in the dust cloud and its light produces a blue reflection nebula. Similar reflection nebulae are seen around several other stars in the region including Iota and Sigma Scorpii, and HD 147889. The first magnitude star Antares (Alpha Scorpii) is surrounded by a rare red reflection nebula due to the class M supergiant's distictly crimson color. Several ribbon of dark nebulae can also be seen in Cloud Complex.

The globular cluster M4 (NGC 6121) appears 1.3 degrees west of Antares although it is much more distant than the Cloud Complex. It lies 7200 light years from Earth and has an apparent visual magnitude of +5.6.

Description courtesy of Fred Espenak

Object: Milky Way and Rho Ophiuchi Region
Optics: Canon EF 50 mm F1.8/II
Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G
Camera: Astrodon modified Canon Xsi
F/stop: F/2.8
Exposure: 44 x 90 seconds (66 total minutes)
ISO: 1600
Mode: RAW
White Balance: Custom
Filter: None
Conditions: Temp. 50 F
Date: May 31st, 2014
Location: Spruce Knob, West Virginia
Elevation: 4800 ft above sea level
Processing: Photoshop CS, PixInsight