RCW 38
RCW 38 is a glowing HII region containing a massive star cluster. The stars were very recently formed, and are still enshrouded within the dark cloud in which they were born. The star cluster is surrounded by clouds of brightly glowing gas and is composed of several short-lived massive stars, hundreds of young stars, and many protostars.
The star cluster several O-type stars with masses much larger than the sun. When these stars die, likely before the dispersal of the cluster, they will explode as supernovae.
RCW 38 includes Gum 22, Gum 23, and Gum 24.
This image captures RCW 38 through a Hydrogen Alpha filter.
Technical Details
- Object: RCW 38
- Other Names: Gum 22, Gum 23, and Gum 24
- Object Type: emission nebula
- Object Data: Angular Size = 20 arc-minutes
- Object Position (Equinox 2000): 08h 59m, -47° 31´, Constellation = Vela
- Date: 2021 Mar 24-26 (3 nights)
- Location: Chile Remote Observatory, Observatorio El Sauce, Chile
- Partnership: Operated in partnership with David Churchill
- Telescope: Planewave CDK-17 (with Focal Reducer: f/4.5; FL = 1945mm)
- Camera: QHY 16200A with Integral 7-position Filter Wheel
- Mount: Astro-Physics 1600GTO
- Guider: Agena Starguide II / SBIG STi
- Sub-Exposures: Astronomik Filters
- H-Alpha (6nm):86 x 10 min = 860 min - Total Exposure: 14h 20m
- File Name: RCW38-CDK21Ha-C01w.jpg
- Field of View: 38.9' x 58.3' at 0.64 arc-sec/pixel
- Original Image Size: 3630 x 4540 pixels (16.5 MP); 12.1" x 15.1" @ 300 dpi
- Data Acquisition: David Churchill
- Image Processing: Fred Espenak
- Maxim DL: Image Calibration, Stacking, Digital Development Processing
- Adobe Camera Raw: Noise Reduction
- Photoshop CC: Curves, Levels
- Topaz Labs: Sharpen AI - Copyright: Fred Espenak