NGC 6188 Fighting Dragons of Ara

NGC 6188 is an emission nebula located about 4,000 light years away in the constellation Ara. The bright open cluster NGC 6193, visible to the naked eye, is responsible for a region of reflection nebulosity within NGC 6188.

In 1836, astronomer John Herschel discovered this with his reflector telescope. Through is 18 1/4 inch reflector, he noted a 'faint nebula in which the preceding part of the cluster is involved.

NGC 6188 is a star forming nebula, and is sculpted by the massive, young stars that have recently formed there – some are only a few million years old. This spark of formation was probably caused when the last batch of stars went supernova.



Bottom right of the picture is another emission nebula, NGC 6164-5. Expelled gaseous material from the centre star possibly due to its fast roattion led to this symmetric shape of this bi-polar nebula. Its diameter spans 4 light years across.

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