LDN 43 The cosmic bat nebula

Image Title: LDN 43 The cosmic bat nebula

Copyright: Cédric Humbert

Date image was taken: June 29, 2026

Location: texas

Data Acquisition Method: Remote Observatory (Commercial)

Description and Details: Nestled in the constellation of Ophiuchus, LDN 43 is a dark nebula listed in Beverly Lynds' catalog. Nicknamed the "Cosmic Bat Nebula," its striking silhouette resembles a bat spreading its wings across the rich star fields of the Milky Way. This spectacular appearance is caused by a dense cloud of interstellar dust that blocks the light from the background stars.

Located approximately 1,400 light-years from Earth, LDN 43 is much more than a striking cosmic silhouette—it is an active star-forming region. At its core, young stars still embedded within their cocoons of gas and dust locally illuminate the cloud, while the faint surrounding reflection nebula (LBN 7) reveals the intricate structures of this vast stellar nursery.

**Note:** LDN 43 is primarily a dark nebula, so the Hα signal is not dominant as it would be in a typical emission nebula. However, a faint diffuse Hα emission can still be detected in parts of the field, blending with the dust and the surrounding reflection nebulosity.

 Location: Starfront Observatories, Texas
 Telescope: Takahashi FSQ-106EDX4
 Mount: ZWO AM5N
 Camera: Player One Astronomy Poseidon MM
 Filters: Antlia Astronomy Filters
Hα: 57 × 600 s (9 h 30 min)
L: 98 × 300 s (8 h 10 min)
SII: 64 × 600 s (10 h 40 min)
RGB: 3 × 36 × 300 s (1 h 30 min)
 Total integration time: 26 h 30 min

Full : https://www.astrobin.com/6qeyap/

Name: Cédric Humbert

Website or Facebook Profile: http://www.instagram.com/astro.berto54/