The Rim Nebula (NGC 6188), discovered by John Herschel on April 15, 1836, is a spectacular emission nebula located about 4,000 light-years away in the constellation Ara, within the Milky Way galaxy. It stands out for its intricate shapes and vivid colors sculpted by intense ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds from young, massive stars, earning it the nickname “Fighting Dragons of Ara”. Associated with the open cluster NGC 6193, its dark dust lanes and luminous hydrogen gas create dramatic, observable contrasts, while the region itself serves as an active stellar nursery—continually forming new stars. Attention to such nebulae is crucial because they showcase the dynamic processes of star formation and the interaction of cosmic forces, providing insight into the evolution of galaxies and the life cycles of stars.

It took more than 2.5 hours to capture this nebula in its full glory. The image is composed of 822 photos, each with a 10-second exposure. I have slightly processed one of the photos with GIMP, but I will let you decide which one is which!