Bright Nebulae - Winter
Auriga to Monoceros
 (692x515) Old FFC + MX5 image |
M78 in Orion Magnitude 8,0 - Size 8' x 8' - reflection nebula 2005 Dec 25 (Denmark) - C8 @ f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - R:G:B = 16:16:20 min guided |
 (695x519) Image from Dec 2003 |
NGC 2024, Flame Nebula in Orion Magnitude ? - Size 30' x 30' - emission nebula 2005 Dec 25 (Denmark) - C8 @ f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - R:G:B = 20:12:8 min guided The Flame Nebula with more colours than I bargained for. The very bright star Alnitak (zeta Orionis) located just outside the field to the right causes all kinds of problems for astrophotographers. I didn't escape from the glare of Alnitak and got all those strange coloured arcs due to internal reflections in my imaging setup. An older unfiltered exposure from 2003 also showed a few reflections but the use of filters added a whole new set of reflections |
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M42 (Orion Nebula) in Orion Size 90' x 60' - bright nebula 2005 Feb 06/Feb 27 - FS-60C - SXV-H9 - H-alpha: LRGB = 48:14:12:14 min (guided) Colour version of the image from 6 February. Medium-size image Full resolution image |
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M42 (Orion Nebula) in Orion Size 90' x 60' - bright nebula 2005 Feb 06 - FS-60C - SXV-H9 - H-alpha: 12 x 240 sec + 1 x 60 sec (guided) Very bright nebula with very faint parts. This huge dynamic makes it very challenging to process. Medium-size image Full resolution image |
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IC 434 and NGC 2024 (Flame Nebula) in Orion Size 90' x 30' - bright nebulae 2005 Feb 06 - FS-60C - SXV-H9 - H-alpha: 38 x 120 sec IC 434 includes the dark Horse Head Nebula (B33) near the bottom. Medium-size image Full resolution image |
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NGC 2264 (Cone Nebula) in Monoceros Size 20' (?) - cluster and nebula 2005 Feb 06 - FS-60C - SXV-H9 - H-alpha: 16 x 240 sec (guided) This nebula is fainter than expected. I really expected to get more after one hour. The bright star near the top is 15 Monoceritis, an extremely hot giant star of spectral class O7 Medium-size image Full resolution image |
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NGC 2244 (Rosette Nebula) in Monoceros Size 80' x 60' (neb) - cluster with nebulosity 2005 Jan 24 - FS-60C with Sky90 reducer - SXV-H9 - H-alpha: 96 min Image made 12 hours before Full Moon with Moon only 30° away. H-a filter really allows you to image even during Full Moon. Medium-size image Full resolution image |
M1 (NGC 1952), Crab Nebula in Taurus
Magnitude 8,4 - Size 8,0' x 4,0'
2003 dec 17 - C8-DX @ f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - L:R:G:B = 28:8:9:7 min
A supernova recorded by chinese astronomers in 1054 AD created this nebula. It is remarkable for its synchrotron radiation and the pulsar, a fast spinning neutron star in its center. The pulsar rotates at 30 times per second(!) and is visible as the lower right component of the double star in the center of the nebula
M42 (NGC 1976), Orion Nebula
Magnitude 4,0 - Size 90' x 60'
22 Dec 2003 (Vrigsted, DK) - C8 @ f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - 3 min
M42-43 (Orion Nebula)
Magnitude 4,0 - Size 90' x 60'
2003 Jan 04 - Newton 200 mm f/4 - MX516 - LRGB = 110:80:80:80 sec -
ddp and mask processed
By far the brightest nebula visible from the northern hemisphere.
M43 in Orion
Magnitude 9,0 - Size 20' x 15' - brigth nebula
9 Feb 2001 - C5-DX at f/6.3 - MX516 - 100 sec
M43 is actually part of the Orion Nebula, just separated from M42 by a dark dust lane.
NGC 1973, 1975 and 1977, Running Man Nebula in Orion
Magnitude 7,0 - Size 20' x 10' - open cluster with nebulosity
22 Dec 2003 (Vrigsted, DK) - C8 @ f/6.3 - SXV-H9 - LRGB = 8:2:4:3 min
Can you spot him? NGC 1977 is the large bright nebula below the "man", NGC 1973 and 1975 are parts of the nebulosity at the top