I remember seeing an old S&T article of the Horsehead, shot with the AAT I think showing faint background galaxies shining through the hydrogen just above the Horsehead, and lo and behold they are visible in Mike's image. Have a careful look at some of the faint stars, they are not pointlike but slightly diffuse. Incredible that just 12 inches of aperature can now record these when coupled to modern electronic imagers and operated by people who know their stuff
Well done!