IC4601
IC 4601 is a reflection nebula which is located about 420 light-years away in Scorpius. It is part of a larger interstellar cloud of dust and gas –where new stars are being born. It is within the Blue Horsehead Nebula Lying near the horse’s ear.
The blue hue of the reflection nebulae is caused by the tendency of inter-stellar dust to more strongly scatter blue starlight.
IC 4601 is illuminated by the intense radiation of the stars present in its vi-cinity, among which the brightest star is HD 147010, and the two stars of a binary system known as HD 147013, which are all blue giants.
The dust of IC 4601 contains the heavy elements that planets are made of, and plays a major role in the creation of new stars.
Imaged in LRGB on our RiDK 400 at El Sauce, Obstech, Chile
Integration time: 25 hours
Image Processing: Mike Selby