A Preview of the Winter Sky

Summer is over and we turn now to the Fall and Winter skies, which are rising to fill the night. The last few weeks have been spent getting some early images of the jewels that fill Orion, Perseus and Monoceros.

Here's a sneak peak at the coming attractions:

IC 434 - The Horsehead Nebula

This is a unique and crowded area of space. Part of the Orion Molecular Cloud complex, the Horsehead, seen at the center of the below image, is a column of sooty dust rising into the background of a bright emission nebula. The Horsehead is estimated to be two light years wide and four light years tall. It is between 1,400 and 1,500 light years distant.

This image includes the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024), seen at the lower left of the image. This bright emission nebula is illuminated by several hundreds young stars inside it.

This image is composed of 20, 360-second exposures in Ha and 5, 180-second exposures in R, G and B, taken with the ASI1600 through the 72mm refractor.

NGC1499 - The California Nebula

This large, but relatively dim, emission nebula appears in the constellation Perseus. It is estimated to be about 1,000 light years distant. It derives its name from the apparent similarity of its overall shape to that of the U.S. state of California. 

This image is composed of 10, 360-second exposures in Ha and 10, 180-second exposures in R, G, and B, taken with the ASI 1600 and the Sky-Watcher 72mm ED refractor.

Rosette Nebula

This beautiful emission nebular appears in the constellation Monoceros. The nebula is quite large, requiring a wide field telescope to capture it's entirety. Estimated to be about 130 light years across, the nebula is about 5,000 light years distant.

At the center of the Rosette appears the star cluster NGC 2244. The Rosette is a stellar nursery with thousands of new stars forming deep inside.

This image was composed of 10, 360-second exposures in Ha and 8, 180-second exposures in R, G, and B, taken with the ASI 1600 and the Sky-Watcher 72mm ED refractor.

As the season progresses, and these objects rise at more convenient (and less dew-prone) times, it is my goal to obtain at least 10 hours of exposure time on each to bring out their details.