October 19, 2009

IC 410

This is an emission nebula in the constellation Auriga appearing close to IC 405 (see below). IC 410 contains an open cluster (NGC 1893) embedded near its center. The cluster is easily spotted with a small telescope, but only long exposure images will reveal the nebula surrounding it.

The above image is comprised of 14, 300-second sub-exposures for a total exposure time of one hour and ten minutes.

M42 - The Great Orion Nebula

M42 is one of the night's sky's most spectacular sights. Easily visible to even the naked eye as a fuzzy star in Orion's sword, M42 is an enormous emission nebula and star-producing region. The nebula is about 25 light years in diameter and is located about 1,350 light years away. It is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud, an extended region of excited hydrogren gas the extends for thousands of light years across the entire area of Orion and Monoceros.

This image is composed of seven, 300-second sub-exposures. M42 appears near the center of the image. Toward the upper right of the image is NGC 1977, sometimes called the Running Man Nebula, a reflection nebula.

Below is a closeup crop of M42 itself.

And a closeup crop of NGC 1977, the Running Man Nebula, named because of the outline of a man discerned by some observers amid the blue and purple clouds of the nebula.

M78

A diffuse reflection nebula, located about 1,600 light years away in the direction of Orion. M78 is easily detected as a fuzzy blob with even small telescopes.

This image is composed of eight, 300-second sub-exposures, for a total exposure of 40 minutes.

October 18, 2009

IC 405 - The Flaming Star Nebula

This is both an emission and reflection nebula surrounding the variable star AE Aurigae, whose emissions cause the nebula's pinkish-red glow, while dust in the nebula reflects other wavelenghts of light adding blue highlights to the nebula's structure, which appears as waves racing out from AE Aurigae. IC 405 is part of larger nebula complex and is located about 1,500 light years away.

The above image shows IC 405 amid its rich starfield. Below is a closeup crop of the nebula itself.

The above images were composed from 14, 300-second sub-exposures, for a total exposure time of one hour and ten minutes.

NGC 2237 - Rosette Nebula and Cluster

One of the most beautiful objects in the night sky, the Rosette Nebula - located 5,200 light years away in the constellation Monoceros - is a large emission nebula, which stretches almost 130 light years in diameter. The nebula is lit by hot, young stars from the open cluster NGC 2244, which lies inside the nebula. Stellar wind from the stars inside the nebula has sculpted the gas into the nebula's circular shape, which many observers describe as rose-like, giving the nebula its name.

The Rosette is extremely difficult to observe visually, though the cluster of stars at its center is easily visible with binoculars or a small telescope. Long exposure photographs are needed to reveal the nebula's structure.

This is a particularly satisfying image. The Rosette is large enough to almost completely fill the camera's field of view. This image is composed of 16, 300-second sub-exposures. A total exposure time of one hour and twenty minutes.

October 11, 2009

NGC 1499 - The California Nebula

This large emission nebula, which appears in the constellation Perseus, derives its name from a vaguely similar appearance to the state of California. The nebula, though large, is extremely faint and is located about 1,000 light years away.

The California Nebula is so large that even the relative large field of view afford by the Starshoot Pro and my f/5, 6" Newtonian cannot capture it in its entirety. A mosaic would be required to reveal the nebula in its full glory. But with clear nights at a premium this wet, cloudy year, I think this image will have to suffice.

The above image comprises 12, 300-second sub-exposures for a total exposure time of one hour. The relative bright star at the lower right corner of the image is Epsilon Persei.