IC405 – the flaming star nebula

IC405, IC 417, M38, NGC 1893, NGC 1907, 80x120s, ISO 1600, Nikon Z6, Takahashi FS-60CB, Optolong L-enhance Filter.

The flaming star nebula IC405 is visible at the upper right in this image, it is a cloud of glowing hydrogen excited by the very hot O-type star AE Aurigae. AE Aurigae is believed to be a former member of a multiple star in the trapezium of Orion. When two binary stars got too close to each other, AE Auriga and presumably also Mu Columbae got ejected. It is now a high velocity star just passing through this gaseous region in the constellation Auriga.

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Heart Nebula

Heart Nebula, IC 1805, Sharpless 2-190,122x90s (3h 4m), ISO1600, Nikon D7000a, Astro-Professional 80mm f/7 with 0,8x reducer, Optolong L-Pro Filter

IC 1805 is a cloud of glowing hydrogen in the constellation Perseus. The gas is ionized by the hot young stars of the cluster Melotte 15 at the nebula’s center.

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The Horsehead nebula (again)

B33, The Horsehead Nebula, 50x120s – 1h40m, ISO1600, Nikon D7000a, 80mm f/7 ED-Refractor, 0,78x Reducer, Baader 2″ H-alpha Filter 35nm

After a long spell of clouds, snow and rain, clear skies have returned. Apart from the streak artefacts in the background I like this image a lot, this is my first properly focused image with the Baader h-alpha filter.