Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Ophiuchus (Oph)  ·  Contains:  IC 4603  ·  IC 4604  ·  IC 4605  ·  M 4  ·  NGC 6121  ·  NGC 6144  ·  The star 22Sco  ·  The star Antares (αSco)  ·  The star ρOph  ·  rho Oph Nebula
Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, Brendan Studds
Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex
Powered byPixInsight

Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex

Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, Brendan Studds
Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex
Powered byPixInsight

Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex

Equipment

Loading...

Acquisition details

Loading...

Description

The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a complex of interstellar clouds with different nebulae, particularly dark nebulae which is centered 1° south of the star ρ Ophiuchi. At an estimated distance of 460ly it is one of the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System.

This cloud covers an angular area of 4.5° × 6.5° on the celestial sphere. It consists of two major regions of dense gas and dust. The first contains a star-forming cloud (L1688 ) and two filaments (L1709 and L1755), while the second has a star-forming region (L1689) and a filament (L1712–L1729). These filaments extend up to 10–17.5 parsecs in length and can be as narrow as 0.24 parsecs in width. The large extensions of the complex are also called Dark River clouds (or Rho Ophiuchi Streamers) and are identified as Barnard 44 and 45. Some of the structures within the complex appear to be the result of a shock front passing through the clouds from the direction of the neighboring Sco OB2 Association.

Comments

Sky plot

Sky plot

Histogram

Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, Brendan Studds

In these public groups

Southern Hemisphere Astro