M24 The Small Sagittarius Star Cloud

Object Type Star Cloud
Constellation Sagittarius
Magnitude 4.6
Size 90.0' x 60.0'


Combination of 60, 1 minute images using red, green and blue filters.
SBIG ST-10XE CCD. 5" f/5 refractor at prime focus.

Messier object number 24, sometimes identified as IC 4715, is not a "true" deep sky object, but a huge star cloud in Milky Way, a pseudo-cluster of stars spread thousands of light years along the line of sight in the constellation of Sagittarius. Only a portion of the star cloud is visib;#le in the image above. It is easily visible to the naked eye as a richer portion of the Milky Way.

In the wide-angle image below, M 24 is the large patch of stars towards the lower left. To the upper right is M17, the Omega or Swan Nebula, while to the far right is M16, the Eagle Nebula.


Combination of 60, 1 minute images using an H-alpha filter.
SBIG ST-8XE CCD. 100mm f/4 Nikon lens.