PhotonCollector
11-12-2005, 09:50 PM
Hello all,
here's an image I managed a few nights ago, hope you all like it.
Paul Mayo
The Great Nebula in Orion (Messier 42 . NGC 1976 . Sharpless 2-281)
Perhaps the most well known celestial object in the night sky is The Great Nebula in the belt of the constellation Orion, the Hunter. Visible to the naked eye, this massive nebula is a relatively close 1500 light-years distance, and busily in the process of forming new stars. The Great Nebula is in-fact the brightest part of a far larger nebula that covers more than 10 degrees of our night sky.
The Great Nebula is illuminated by the light produced from the four young stars at the crux of the nebula (bottom-centre). These four stars are collectively known as the Trapezium and appear to the naked-eye as a single star, Theta-1 Orionis. The Trapezium stars are young stars which have formed from the nebula and since birth their stellar winds have blown the nebula into the partial bubble shape we see today. The inner part of the nebula produces strong light in Oxygen-III and Hydrogen-Beta wavelengths making the core appear greenish in a moderate size telescope. The Great Nebula was first discovered by Peiresc, 159 years before it become the 42nd object (M 42) in the famous Messier list.
The bright star at top-right of the image is Iota (44) Orionis also known by the names of Nair al Saif (and Hatysa in Becvar). This star has observed mass ejections with velocities reaching 1600 kilometres per second, Nair al Saif also exhibits enhanced ultraviolet emissions and is a Helium deficient star by a factor of 10 relative to standard stars.
Higher Resolution
http://www.skylab.com.au/pmsa/ngc1976c.html
Image Details
Field of View: full frame image, ~ 49 x 33 arc-minutes
Telescope: 304mm f/5 reflector telescope, hand guided.
Camera: Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel.
Exposures:
4 x 8-minute exposures @ ISO200.
1 x 5-minute exposures @ ISO200.
5 x 30-second exposures @ ISO200.
Total Exposure time: ~ 40 minutes.
Sky Conditions:
First quarter Moon high in sky.
Seeing: 9.5/10 (excellent seeing),
Wind: 2/10 Moisture: 0/10.
Ambient Temperature: 19.5° C.
Notes: used Baader Coma Corrector.
here's an image I managed a few nights ago, hope you all like it.
Paul Mayo
The Great Nebula in Orion (Messier 42 . NGC 1976 . Sharpless 2-281)
Perhaps the most well known celestial object in the night sky is The Great Nebula in the belt of the constellation Orion, the Hunter. Visible to the naked eye, this massive nebula is a relatively close 1500 light-years distance, and busily in the process of forming new stars. The Great Nebula is in-fact the brightest part of a far larger nebula that covers more than 10 degrees of our night sky.
The Great Nebula is illuminated by the light produced from the four young stars at the crux of the nebula (bottom-centre). These four stars are collectively known as the Trapezium and appear to the naked-eye as a single star, Theta-1 Orionis. The Trapezium stars are young stars which have formed from the nebula and since birth their stellar winds have blown the nebula into the partial bubble shape we see today. The inner part of the nebula produces strong light in Oxygen-III and Hydrogen-Beta wavelengths making the core appear greenish in a moderate size telescope. The Great Nebula was first discovered by Peiresc, 159 years before it become the 42nd object (M 42) in the famous Messier list.
The bright star at top-right of the image is Iota (44) Orionis also known by the names of Nair al Saif (and Hatysa in Becvar). This star has observed mass ejections with velocities reaching 1600 kilometres per second, Nair al Saif also exhibits enhanced ultraviolet emissions and is a Helium deficient star by a factor of 10 relative to standard stars.
Higher Resolution
http://www.skylab.com.au/pmsa/ngc1976c.html
Image Details
Field of View: full frame image, ~ 49 x 33 arc-minutes
Telescope: 304mm f/5 reflector telescope, hand guided.
Camera: Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel.
Exposures:
4 x 8-minute exposures @ ISO200.
1 x 5-minute exposures @ ISO200.
5 x 30-second exposures @ ISO200.
Total Exposure time: ~ 40 minutes.
Sky Conditions:
First quarter Moon high in sky.
Seeing: 9.5/10 (excellent seeing),
Wind: 2/10 Moisture: 0/10.
Ambient Temperature: 19.5° C.
Notes: used Baader Coma Corrector.