266 second exposure. Modified Canon Digital Rebel DSLR camera.
4" f/6 refractor at prime focus.
Situated in the southern reaches of the Milky Way in Ara, is an interesting patch of bright and dark nebulosity surrounding a small open cluster. The nebulosity is NGC 6188 and the cluster is NGC 6193. The cluster is fairly weak, containing only a few scattered stars, however the brightest are all blue giants which contrast well with the rich surrounds of the Milky way. The nebula is difficult to observe visually, but can be detected with an 8" telescope if the skies are dark. The region deserves to be better known, as it probably would be if it were more accessible to northern hemisphere observers.
Just to the west (right) of the cluster, beside a patch of obscuring dust, are two small and faint reflection nebulae. These do not appear to have any seperate designations.
Just out of the view to the north-west (upper right) is the mass-loss star and surrounding nebulosity, NGC 6164/6165. The image below is a mosiac of this region showing both NGC 6188 and NGC 6164/6165.
