The Trifid Nebula was named over 200 years ago by John Herschel to describe its tri-lobed appearance.  A bright young triple star at the center of the Trifid excites and illuminates the surrounding hydrogen clouds.  The three components of the triple star are too close too each other to distinguish in this image.  Above the emission nebula a fainter blue reflection nebula is seen.  The star forming Trifid Nebula is 5,200 light years away. 

IMAGE DETAILS:

• Date & Location:  August 28 & 30th, 2011  - Bernville, PA

• Weather:  60F with light winds on both nights

• Sky Conditions:  Clear with above average transparency on 28th, average 30th.

• Optics:  TeleVue NP101is Refractor w/1.5x extender  =  810mm @ f8.1

• Filter:  Astronomic  EOS clip-in CLS-CCD (Light Pollution Suppression)

• Mount:  AP900GTO

• Guiding:  Tracked, PEC active

• Camera:  Canon T1i (500D) Hap Griffin Modified - Baader UV/IR

• Exposure:  28th = 41min iso 800 / 30th = 30 min iso 1600 (71 min total)

• Calibration Frames:  16 Darks & 9 Bias frames

• Processing:  Images Plus 3.82b, Photoshop CS4, NIK, Noise Ninja

• Comments:   Located on my southern horizon, which is somewhat light polluted, I was able to gain enough detail from the nebula with the aid of a light pollution suppression filter and the combining multiple light frames.