Twisted Pillar and Star Formation

[Raydar (Ray Palmer)]

I have been out of action, so thought I would share my latest image.

This image shows the inside of the Rosette Nebula. I have captured Evaporating Gaseous Globules (EGGs). Those spherical clumps of dust and hydrogen (EGGs) are collapsing with gravity into dense spheres which will (in the next few thousand or million years) generate enough heat and pressure at their cores to fuse hydrogen together and initiate fusion, giving birth to a new star. Every star you see in that photo started as an EGG in the same way, and by studying the nebula we can easily tell where the next new stars will be born.



The exposure time for this photo was 45 hours over two months (about 4 hours per night when conditions permit). The object is 5200 light years away, which means we are seeing it as it was 5200 years ago, those EGGs (shown at the tips of my green arrows) have probably already become stars, but we won’t know for another 5200 hundred years.

Usual suspects, C14 riding an AP1600GTO hiding inside a Sirius Observatory. Processing PS and PI. From Perth, Western Australia.

C&C's welcome as always.

Ray

[Ukastronomer (Jeremy)]

45 HOURS! are you serious.................?

You are amazing

(Compliment)

[Raydar (Ray Palmer)]

Originally Posted by Ukastronomer

You are amazing

Thanks for the kind words my friend.

I shoot at 4000mm focal length with the focal ratio at F11. Everything (polar alignment, collimation, tracking, etc) is exasperated greatly at those extremes. Its painful at times, but I love getting up close to these objects. I have made many mods to my equipment to get around the long focal length problems. Admittedly I need a better scope, but I don't get much observatory time so I'm happy to stick with the C14 for now.

Ray

[Ukastronomer (Jeremy)]

Originally Posted by Raydar

Thanks for the kind words my friend.

I shoot at 4000mm focal length with the focal ratio at F11. Everything (polar alignment, collimation, tracking, etc) is exasperated greatly at those extremes. Its painful at times, but I love getting up close to these objects. I have made many mods to my equipment to get around the long focal length problems. Admittedly I need a better scope, but I don't get much observatory time so I'm happy to stick with the C14 for now.

Ray

[multiweb (Marc)]

A very nice close up! Would love to see a high res pic. With your image scale you must have some real nice details.

[Peter Ward]

Deep sky imaging at this sort of focal length is hard work, so many factors conspire to make stars egg shaped, or look poorly resolved, hence the result you've acheived is quite remarkable. Nice to see people "pushing the envelope" Well done

[Andy01 (Andy)]

Looks great Ray, great writeup too!
Echoing the request for a higher res version though, as this tiny resolution pic doesn't do your efforts justice.

[willik (Willik)]

That looks a cool image well done
Martin

[Raydar (Ray Palmer)]

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Deep sky imaging at this sort of focal length is hard work, so many factors conspire to make stars egg shaped, or look poorly resolved, hence the result you've acheived is quite remarkable. Nice to see people "pushing the envelope" Well done

Hi Peter,

Totally. It can be quite frustrating at times. I should have cleaned the stars up a little more to be honest. I delete at least 50% of my subs. The seeing has to be very good to keep focus at F11.

Originally Posted by Andy01

Looks great Ray, great writeup too!
Echoing the request for a higher res version though, as this tiny resolution pic doesn't do your efforts justice.

Sure mate, you can view a larger version here

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'll hopefully get enough data for another one shortly.

Ray

[RobF (Rob)]

Stunning shot. Great stuff, and thanks for sharing.

[gregbradley]

That is a great shot. I have often felt that twisted spiral of dust is the most interesting feature of the Rosette.

Greg.

[SimmoW (SIMON)]

Ace work Ray, a fascinating study and beaut image.