Horsehead and Flame nebula

[xa-coupe (Jeff)]

Had a go at these last night... but failed to set up the calibration frames properly so it's just a basic stacked image with a very basic process to bring out some detail.


20x 180 sec, 800 iso, WO GT81, EOS1500d Optolong L-Extreme.


There's a big ass star in the middle of it all that I'll work on when I get more data.

[PKay (Peter)]

Hi Jeff

A great result and you have done very well, despite the problems.

That big ass star (Alnitak) has caused us all grief at some point!

[TrevorW]

That big ass star is Alnitak , designation ζ Orionis or Zeta Orionis, abbreviated Zeta Ori, ζ Ori) or 50 Orionis (abbreviated 50 Ori), is a triple star system in Orion. It is one of the three main stars of Orions Beltit is a hot blue supergiant with an absolute magnitude of -6.0 and is the brightest class O star in the night sky with a visual magnitude of +2.0.



It has two bluish 4th magnitude companions, one finely resolved and one only detected interferometrically and spectroscopically, producing a combined magnitude for the trio of +1.77., and everyone who images the Horse head has issues with that star.

[xa-coupe (Jeff)]

Thanks guys, I've not been able to add data to any significant extent due to clouds and opportunity, but it looks hopeful in the long term.


I couldn't remember Alnitak at the time .. so I figured 'big ass star' wouldn't trip any sweat filters!