IC405 – the flaming star nebula

Posted on 21/01/2020 by philipp

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.

Orion from Horsehead to M42 in color

Posted on 14/01/2020 by philipp

Orion, Horsehead to M42, 110x60s, Takahashi FS-60CB, Nikon Z6, Optolong L-enhance Filter

The imaging session was cut short by clouds, resulting in less than two hours of exposure time

From the Horsehead to the Orion Nebula

Posted on 31/12/2019 by philipp

Orion, Horsehead to M42, 178x60s, Takahashi FS-60CB, Nikon Z6, 35nm h-alpha Filter

To be able to use a wide field with nebulosity in the constellation Orion I used the unmodified Nikon Z6 in combination with a 35nm h-alpha filter to be able to show the faint hydrogen clouds which are visible here.

Taurus Molecular Cloud with 85mm

Posted on 29/12/2019 by philipp

Taurus Molecular Cloud, California Nebula NGC1499 and Plejades M45, 120x30s, ISO3200, Nikon Z6, Nikkor S 85mm f/1.8 at f/1.8 processed in Fitswork, Photoshop, Lightroom

I tried to use a break in the clouds to photograph a long-time favourit of mine, the Taurus Molecular Cloud TMC. The conditions were far from optimal with some slight fog and clouds passing through, but after throwing away quite a few frames, I ended up with this version.

Heart Nebula

Posted on 27/10/2019 by philipp

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.

North America and Pelican Nebula

Posted on 14/10/2019 by philipp

The North America (NGC7000) and Pelican Nebula (IC7000) get their iconic shapes from an obscuring cloud of dust that is silhouetted against the glowing cloud of ionized hydrogen.