Impressive image, taken with PlaneWave CDK17, chosen as APOD (2017 October 20)

Convince yourself of the high image quality of the combination CDK 17 and TV Reducer 

In spring of 2013, the turnkey "Rooisand Observatory" in Namibia, a 3.2 meter Dome, received latest equipment and technology:

• A new telescope combination consisting of an Astro-Physics  GTO 1600 mount
• equipped with a Planewave CDK 17", a Zeiss APQ 130 / 1000m
• and a TEC APO 110 FL together with a wide range of optical and photographic accessories

25 x 600 seconds with ALccd8 L, Telescope: Planewave CDK17 with TeleVue 0.8x Reducer, Image processing: Nebulosity, Regim, Photoshop CS, © by Franz Hofmann + Wolfgang Paech

For a comparison with the size with the Moon please click here. © by Franz Hofmann + Wolfgang Paech

The Trifid Nebula in the constellation Sagittarius is one of the absolute highlights in the sky. The combination of red emission nebula, blue reflection nebula and dark clouds form one of the most beautiful nebula region in the southern Milky Way. The hot blueish O7 star HD 164492 ionizes a nearly spherical part of the nebula resulting in its reddish glow. Further outwards, the energy of the star is not strong enough to ionize more gas. These parts form the blue reflection nebula, which completely surrounds the inner emission nebula. The dark clouds divide the inner emission nebula into three parts which are responsible for the name of the nebula. M 20 is about 5200 light years away from the Earth. It covers almost the area of the Moon in th esky. Load higher resolution.

Rooisand Desert Ranch in Namibia:

About the author: Wolfgang Paech

Dipl. Ing. Wolfgang Paech has been practicing astronomy for more than 50 years. In addition to his many experiences with observatory domes of all kinds, his core areas are the Sun and the Moon. On the german Website www.chamaeleon-observatory-onjala.de you will find a complete moon atlas, recorded with his standard technique. But even in terms of Deep-Sky and Planetary imaging, as a veteran astrophotographer for many years, nobody can fool him.

The 50+ years of amateur astronomy with many other areas, such as the restoration of historical amateur telescopes, polar light trips and much more are prepared on his private german website at www.astrotech-hannover.de.