Wallpaper author:
Michelle Ashford
17 Jul 2026
RCW 75
RCW 75 (catalogued as Gum 48a) is an active HII emission nebula and star-forming region located in the southern constellation of Centaurus. Situated roughly 6,500 light-years from Earth, it features a stunning "elephant trunk" dark nebula, brilliant ionised gas, and active embedded star clusters. At the tip of this trunk, radiation-driven implosions have formed faint blue reflection nebulae known as VdBH 60.
The nebula's glow is primarily powered by ‘Stock 16’, a very young open star cluster (only 3 to 6 million years old).
Pixinsight, Blur Exterminator, Affinity 2, Star Exterminator, Topaz De-Noise
Dataset from which the image was processed
RCW 75
5 credit
- Type of target............................................................................................................................Emission Nebula
- Camera............................................................................................................................QHY 600M
- Target coordinates............................................................................................................................RA 200.0083 Dec -62.5478
- Hemisphere............................................................................................................................Southern
- Telescope location............................................................................................................................Chile
- Transient event............................................................................................................................No
- Observed on............................................................................................................................28 Jan 2025 - 31 Jan 2025
Filter | Avg Exp (s) | Total Exposure | Subframes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halpha | 290 | 2h30m | 31 |
| SII | 310 | 2h40m | 31 |
| OIII | 300 | 2h30m | 30 |