PhotonCollector
14-12-2005, 12:16 PM
Hello everyone,
From the image I recently produced of the Great Nebula in Orion (M42 see thread http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=6076), I have also created some other images from the photons I collected that night, here is the first of them.
This image highlights the central region of the nebula Messier 42 - the locality of the Trapezium stars. The four Trapezium stars can be seen at centre image - they appear to merge together into a white clump, however in reality, the stars are separated from each other by up-to several light-years distance. Bright knots and wisps of nebulae appear to surround the Trapezium stars in an almost spherical appearance which is evidence of stellar-winds, produced by the relatively newborn Trapezium stars, blowing the nebula away from them.
The dark nebula at bottom-image appears to be in the foreground and is so opaque, that no light from stars or the nebula in the background, can be seen through it. In fact when you look at this region through a telescope it appears darker than the sky background.
For those with keen eyes; to the right of the Trapezium stars is a single bright star that exhibits spikes in this photograph. Follow the spike that points to the top-right of this image and just above the star you will notice a pinkish globule of nebula. This small pinkish globule is in-fact the leading edge of a gas plume ejected from a new-born star.
Also see this image at
http://www.skylab.com.au/pmsa/ngc1976d.html
Regards
Paul Mayo
From the image I recently produced of the Great Nebula in Orion (M42 see thread http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=6076), I have also created some other images from the photons I collected that night, here is the first of them.
This image highlights the central region of the nebula Messier 42 - the locality of the Trapezium stars. The four Trapezium stars can be seen at centre image - they appear to merge together into a white clump, however in reality, the stars are separated from each other by up-to several light-years distance. Bright knots and wisps of nebulae appear to surround the Trapezium stars in an almost spherical appearance which is evidence of stellar-winds, produced by the relatively newborn Trapezium stars, blowing the nebula away from them.
The dark nebula at bottom-image appears to be in the foreground and is so opaque, that no light from stars or the nebula in the background, can be seen through it. In fact when you look at this region through a telescope it appears darker than the sky background.
For those with keen eyes; to the right of the Trapezium stars is a single bright star that exhibits spikes in this photograph. Follow the spike that points to the top-right of this image and just above the star you will notice a pinkish globule of nebula. This small pinkish globule is in-fact the leading edge of a gas plume ejected from a new-born star.
Also see this image at
http://www.skylab.com.au/pmsa/ngc1976d.html
Regards
Paul Mayo