Dear all, I have been away from this forum (and astroimaging) for a while but eventually managed to process and post another image. This one is centered on the Chamaeleon I complex, one of three large clouds found in this southern constellation. This complex is a site of low mass star formation, which is characterised visually by various reflection nebulae including IC 2631 to the north and the blue nebula Ced 111 and the white reflection nebula Ced 110 to the south. The great obscuring mass of thick brown dust in the region absorbs the blue light of distant stars making them appear much redder than they actually are. This process of interstellar reddening also affects the light of distant galaxies in the line of sight, making them look less blue. The Chamaeleon I complex has been subjected to many searches for young stellar objects that predict that star formation began 3-4 million years ago in the northern half of the cloud and 5-6 million years ago in the southern half. Star formation in the cloud is still ensuing at a declining rate until eventually it will completely cease. Other optically visible signs of star formation are represented by small Herbig Haro objects, of which HH 49 and HH 50 are prominently visible in the region between Ced 110 and Ced 111. Also visible in the image is a unique curiosity, a colourful orange nebula below the reflection nebula Ced 111. This is the Chamaeleon Infrared Nebula, a bipolar infrared reflection nebula that also happens to be visible optically. Its bipolar nature is only visible in infrared images as well as its illuminating source.
Chamaeleon I complex
This LRGB collected a bit more than 10 hours of light, mostly in luminance. Considering the beauty of the area, it is a mistery to me why there are not so many amateur images around
Hope you will like it
Clear skies
Marco