NGC 6729 (Caldwell 68)

Reflection & Dark Nebulae, Corona Australis

July 2024. Observatorio El Sauce, Chile

NGC 6729 (also known as Caldwell 68) is a reflection/emission nebula and part of the Corona Australis Molecular Cloud in the constellation of Corona Australis. It was discovered by Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt in 1861. This fan-shaped nebula opens from the star R Coronae Australis toward the star T CrA to the south-east. R CrA is a pre-main-sequence star in the Corona Australis molecular complex, one of the closer star-forming regions in the galaxy at a distance of 130 pc. NGC 6729 is a variable nebula which shows irregular variations in brightness and in shape.
Close to NGC 6729 are NGC 6726, 6727. These are Reflection nebulae and shine by the light of embedded young stars. This is one of the closest star-forming areas to us, at about 420 light-years distance. IC 4812 is also a reflection nebula and contains a binary star. The object was discovered by DeLisle Stewart on August 4, 1899.

Telescope: Planewave CDK17 (FR) f4.5
Mount: Astro Physics 1600GTO
Camera: QHY16200A/ Integral FW
Guider: Agena Starguide II / ZWO ASI178MM
Filters: Astronomik 36mm LRGB

L: 66×10 mins = 660 mins, R: 24×10 mins = 240 mins, G: 24×10 mins = 240 mins, B: 24×10 mins = 240 mins

Total Imaging Time: 23h 00m

Data Imaged remotely on 8 nights during June & July 2024.
Imaged from Observatorio El Sauce, Chile, in partnership with Fred Espenak.
Data acquisition & Processing by David Churchill.