Cracking the Dragon's Egg (NGC 6164)

by John Hayes

Objects in field: NGC 6164, NGC 6165

Equipment: ASA 600, Moravian Instruments Moravian C1x61000 Pro

Integration: 17h 10m

NGC 6164 is located in the constellation of Norma at a distance of 3,870 ly. It’s commonly called the “Dragon’s Egg” because it sits below the famous Fighting Dragons of Ara within a nest of surrounding strong O3 and weaker H2 filaments. It has an angular subtense of about 6.5’ x 4’ and an apparent magnitude of 6.7 so it’s a popular target for imagers with access to the Southern sky. The core of…