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Object Type: Open Cluster, Emission Nebula
Constellation: Serpens
Magnitude: 6.4
Size: 35'

M16 formally refers to the open cluster NGC 6611, while the Eagle Nebula is cataloged as IC 4703, although M16 is commonly used to refer to both objects. Located 7,000 light-years from our solar system, M16 is visible to the naked eye under dark skies. Radiation from the stars in the cluster causes the surrounding gas to glow and has eroded the dust and gas near the center, creating the dark pillar-shaped structures. The cluster is very young at 5.5 million years, and is still in the process of forming, as new stars are being created inside the dark "pillars."

Instrument: ST-10XME/Vixen 102-ED/Paramount ME/ Astrodon RGB filters
F-ratio: f/6.5
Exposure: RRGB: R 8 x 12 minutes: G 8 x 3 minutes: B 8 x 3 minutes: GB binned 2x2
Date: June 17, 2006
Location: Landers, California, USA
Technical Notes: Individual exposures were taken using CCDAutoPilot2 and then sigma combined. The RGB image was created in Registar 1.0. Unsharp Mask with a Radius of 1 pixel and Threshold of 0 was applied to the bright portions of the luminance image and Gaussian Blur of 0.5 pixel applied to the RGB image. The RGB image was duplicated and then combined using Soft Light to enhance color.