NGC 6164
NGC 6164 is a bipolar emission nebula in the constellation Norma. It is about 4 light-years across that lies at a distance of 4,200 light-years.
Its symmetric gaseous shroud and faint halo surround the blue, young, central star HD 148937, the brightest member of a triple star system orbiting around each other, which fierce stellar winds – of about 8 million kilometers per hour – created this nebula. This hot, luminous O-type star is some 40 times as massive as the Sun and just 3 to 4 million years old. In another 3 to 4 million years the massive star will end its life in a supernova explosion.
NGC 6164’s bipolar symmetry, as well as its extensive halo makes it similar in appearance to planetary nebulae – the gaseous shrouds surrounding dying Sun-like stars. Expanding into the surrounding interstellar medium, the material in this halo is likely from an earlier outburst of the central star, about 4000 years ago.
This image captures NGC 6164 through a Hydrogen Alpha filter.
Technical Details
- Object: NGC 6164
- Other Names: ESO 226-PN13
- Object Type: emission nebula
- Object Data: Apparent Magnitude = 6.7, Angular Size = 20 x 20 arc-minutes
- Object Position (Equinox 2000): 16h 34m, -48° 07´, Constellation = Norma
- Date: 2021 Feb 26-28 (3 nights)
- Location: Chile Remote Observatory, Observatorio El Sauce, Chile
- Partnership: Operated in partnership with David Churchill
- Telescope: Planewave CDK-17 (with Focal Reducer: f/4.5; FL = 1945mm)
- Camera: QHY 16200A with Integral 7-position Filter Wheel
- Mount: Astro-Physics 1600GTO
- Guider: Agena Starguide II / SBIG STi
- Sub-Exposures: Astronomik Filters
- H-Alpha (6nm):88 x 10 min = 880 min - Total Exposure: 14h 40m
- File Name: NGC6164-CDK21Ha-C01w.jpg
- Field of View: 38.9' x 58.3' at 0.64 arc-sec/pixel
- Original Image Size: 3630 x 4540 pixels (16.5 MP); 12.1" x 15.1" @ 300 dpi
- Data Acquisition: David Churchill
- Image Processing: Fred Espenak
- Maxim DL: Image Calibration, Stacking, Digital Development Processing
- Adobe Camera Raw: Noise Reduction
- Photoshop CC: Curves, Levels
- Topaz Labs: Sharpen AI - Copyright: Fred Espenak