Star Clusters

The Obscured Globular Cluster Terzan 9 and Surrounds

This image shows the heavily obscured globular cluster Terzan 9 in Sagittarius.
It has been determined that Terzan 9 lies within the Milky Way's central bulge at a distance of 23,000 light years. Shining with a magnitude of 16 this cluster is a difficult target in most amateur telescopes, but it is relatively easy to photograph. The cluster is significantly reddened and heavily obscured by the massive interstellar dust clouds in the direction of the Milky Way centre. A solid dark dust lane nearly covers the cluster but still its faint combined glow of thousands of stars reach us from a place near the galactic centre.
Also visible in the upper right is the bright blue planetary nebula IC4673 at a distance of 10,500 light years. A little below IC4673 another tiny purple planetary nebula is seen; ESO 521-14 which at 27,000 light years lies much further away than even Terzan 9.

Image details:
Date: 29th May 2012
Exposure: LRGB: 80:25:25:25m, total 2hrs 35mins
Telescope: 10" Serrurier Truss Newtonian
Camera: QSI 683wsg with Lodestar guider
Filters: Astrodon LRGB E-Series Gen 2
Taken from my observatory in Auckland, New Zealand