We've grown increasingly fascinated by the relatively faint nebulosity NW of M17.
It is shown superbly in the top 40% of a recent wide field 32 hr SHO
image by Suavi.
Here we had a more narrow field view of said patch, and it turns out that the Swan has had a Cygnet, only just emerged from its shell and still all wet and scrawny.
Mum's chest is the very bright patch at the bottom right corner, but she is mostly out of field.
Original image here.
[Edit: the link now points to a slightly less deconvolved and sharpened version than when first posted]
Perhaps one of the cygnet's ancestors was an archaeopteryx, leathery wings held out Cormorant style, still confined by the shape of the egg perhaps. You can see the cygnet's head and long thin neck, and perhaps even some dark legs all dangling down-oh.
The cygnet turns out to be almost as large on the sky as mum. Either it is closer to us, or it was a painful egg-laying.
Aspen CG16M on 20" PlaneWave. 3nM H-alpha. 7 hrs in 1 hr subs.
North is on the right. Field approx 35 min arc. Original image 0.55 sec arc/pixel.
We're in a good mood here at Placidus, because despite the drought, we've got just enough feed to look after 26 yearling heifers for our neighbour for a few weeks, so it's looking all rural out the window, and more rain tonight.
Very best,
Mike and Trish