SBIG ST8300M, Astrodon filters: RGB E-Series GenII
LRGB Total 3:30 hours = L 120 min. (24x5 min.) + R 7x5 min, G 5x5 min. B 6x5 min. = total of 90 min. RGB
Boren-Simon 2.8-8 CF (Carbon Fiber) OTA - http://www.powernewts.com
EQ6 mount, guided w/PHD and EQMOD
North is right / Center of image: RA 16h 11m 16s, Dec +21° 56' 41"
Dimensions: 99.11' x 75.74' min. Pos Angle: +91° 26
This local molecular cloud is known as SH2-73, LBN 105, MBM 40 and IREC 53. MBM 40 is located at a distance of 120 parsecs and contains 20 to 40 solar masses of gas. There are no signs of star formation. Like several other local molecular clouds, MBM 40 has a pronounced hairpin shape (ref. http://galaxymap.org/cgi-bin/sharpless.py?s=73).
This is one of the very few photographs existing of a very faint reflection nebula in Hercules. Although this area has been listed in the Sharpless catalogue of emission nebulae as SH2-73, there is no HII emission at all in the area, but the brightest sections of the nebula shows in the Palomar-Schmidt red plates, and this probably generated the mistake.
The nebula covers virtually the entire field and it is illuminated by the integral radiation field originating from the galaxy plane. These very faint reflection nebulae lies at relatively high galactic latitude (about 45°) and are categorized as integral flux nebulae to indicate the particular source of illumination. Careful inspection of the high resolution image shows scores of background galaxies that appears conspicuously reddened by the foreground dust (ref. http://www.collectingphotons.com/News.htm).
Some other images I have found of this object:
http://www.astroimager.net/Page-180-CCD-266.html
http://galaxymap.org/cgi-bin/details.py?id=21510&name=S73&t=hii&s=4_p32.5xp32.0
http://www.collectingphotons.com/Astro/Nebulae/Hercules%20LBN%20105.jpg
This image is 1005x768 pixels