In order to image the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, we decided to create a two-panel mosaic, so as to have a good resolution and be able to walk around the image.

The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a complex of interstellar clouds with mainly dark nebulae.

At a distance of around 450 light-years, it is one of the solar system's closest star nurseries.

Rho Ophiuchi is the star system in the blue area on the left of the image. With a surface temperature of over 6,500K and a brightness higher than 160 time of the Sun, these stars reflect their light onto the dark clouds around them.

Some structures appear to be the result of a shockwave passing through the cloud from the direction of the nearby Scorpius-Centaurus association.

Dust and gas that makes the star system appear 1.45 magnitudes dimmer than it really is. Without the interstellar extinction, Rho Ophiuchi would shine at magnitude 3.18.

We can also find two globular clusters: M4 (the largest) and NGC 6144 (the smallest).

This area of the sky is known for its wide range of colors, making it a very photogenic zone.


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HOSTING SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE

As our site is of professionnal class and as our team is dedicated to promote pro.amateur collaboration we can propose you to be hosted in our observatory in partnership with Caddi Ayad universities and Oukaimeden observatory.

Our observatory is the best sky in northern hemisphere open for amateur remote telescope: 240 clear nights per year / 0.84" median seeing / 3000 m altitude / bortle 1 sky quality.

More informations -> https://atlaskies.com/   

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Team Atlaskies is the resident team of Atlaskies Remote hosting facility dedicated to Pro-Am science collaboration in Partnership with OUCA (Observatoire Universitaire Cadi Ayyad).
It's composed by Richard Galli (Apo_Team), Yann Sainty (Team Stellae Orientis), Marcel Drechsler and Xavier Strottner (Team StDr), Mehdi Abed and Amaury de Potter d'indoye.