The Horsehead Nebula in Hydrogen Alpha
Characteristics:
Magnitude: Unknown
Distance: 1600 light years (Horsehead Nebula, aka B33); 826 light years
(Alnitak- Zeta Orionis); 1165 light years (Sigma Orionis)
RA: 5h 40m 56s
Dec: -1 degrees 56' 21"
Description:
This is a first light image in Hydrogen Alpha for my SXV-H9 CCD camera,
taken in moonlight on 2/7/04. I am excited about the amount of
detail present in the Horsehead, captured with the combination of the
small Sky90 plus SXV-H9. Color data will be added in the next few
months as weather and time permit. Please click here for
details regarding
the Horsehead nebula region.
Photographic Details:
Date: February
7, 2004.
Scope: Takahashi Sky 90 at f4.5 with field flattener/focal
reducer, piggybacked on LX90 (which is mounted
on a Meade Superwedge).
Autoguider: STV with e-finder.
Camera: SXV-H9.
Filter: Hydrogen Alpha, Astronomik.
Exposures: 19 x 5'.
Conditions: Temperature 23 degrees F; below average transparency;
average seeing; breezy; partly cloudy. The evening turned mostly
cloudy and windy by 11 PM, so I packed it up (I had hoped to shoot the
Cone Nebula as well).
Processing: Dark frame
calibration, alignment, sigma combine, and DDP
adjustments performed in ImagesPlus. Levels and curves adjustments in Photoshop. Selective
smoothing of certain regions performed using the Neat Image plug in
(v3.17 Pro Plus).
Please
note: Graphics on this website may not be reproduced without
author permission.
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