M78

[Tom Davis]

It took me a year to finish this image, but I finally got the blue filter data this week. My winter sky pattern is not conducive to imaging.

Here is M78 with 8.5 hours of H-alpha data added. I have a love/hate relationship with H-alpha since in an area like M78 it blasts away most of the dust. Still, I think this object looks better with the HII clouds present.

http://www.tvdavisastropics.com/astroimages-1_0000a8.htm

Tom

[Octane]

Tom,

Oh, my goodness, gracious me.

That is one of the most vivid astrophotographs I have ever seen.

Simply magnificent.

WOW! :eyepop:

Regards,
Humayun

[Deeno]

Stunning!!!

[strongmanmike]

Excellent work Tom, you've managed to present a familiar region in a new light and that's not easy, a nice years work there :thumbsup:

Mike

[Garyh]

Like Mike says, excellent work there! this area is quiet a challange to bring out the fainter details and the 18hrs has done it justice! :thumbsup:
cheers

[marc4darkskies]

Gorgeous image Tom - the Ha adds a wonderful dimension! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Cheers, Marcus

[Hagar]

Magnificent Tom. So much detail and so smoooooth. 18.5 hrs WOW a big challenge by the sound of it. But truely worth the effort.

[Tom Davis]

Thanks guys.

Tom

[multiweb]

That's beautiful Tom. :thumbsup: I've always been and still am struggling with this object. Its blue core is relatively much brighter than the surrounding and that makes it a real chalenge to capture all this dust. The only thing that shows up properly in my shots is the proximity of the barnard loop in the lower left corner but it's hard to make anything out in the center but for the core, mainly due to reflections/diffuse halos. You've captured this diffuse greyish dust dark lanes around and on top of the core really well. Top work.

[TrevorW]

Such dedication, such quality, sheer brilliance.

[AlexN]

You constantly blow us all away with your magnificent work Tom, This is no exception...

Well done indeed. Im particularly fond of the intense star colours shining through the HII cloud and the dust..

[DavidU]

My my my ! A stunner !

[slippo74]

No way! That is a incredible!!!
Tom, if you don't mind I would love to print it out, put in a frame and attach to the wall. That is such inspirational images!

[Tom Davis]

Feel free. If you need a higher resolution file for printing just let me know.

Tom

[slippo74]

That would be great... I'll pm my email. Thanks Tom.

[troypiggo]

Holy.... OMG... wow.

[Paul Haese]

Superb image Tom. That is a huge amount of Ha data. I must keep this in mind when I have a go at this object again.

[bluescope]

An image well worth the effort Tom ... congratulations !

:thumbsup:

[lacad01]

:eyepop: Outstanding, to say the least. :thumbsup:

[gregbradley]

A magnificent image Tom.

Amazing how tiny the stars are in this image. Your ASA really is a
great scope. If I could be assured of getting one that worked I would
have gotten one by now.

Greg.

[Tom Davis]

Thanks again everyone.

Tom

[iceman]

Congrats on another brilliant APOD, Tom.

Stunning image.

[Tom Davis]

Thanks Mike!

Tom

[En1gma]

Congrats on apod

keep up the great work

rob

[Ric]

Beautiful image Tom.

simply a stunner.

Cheers

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Err.. WOW!

[spearo]

beautiful!
frank

[bloodhound31]

This is now my new desktop at work! Magnificent!

Baz.