The Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237-2239)
Characteristics:
Magnitude: 4.8 (for NGC 2244 star cluster in center)
Size: 80' x 60'
Distance: 5500 light years
RA: 6h 31m
Dec: 4 degrees 57' 00"
Description:
The Rosette Nebula is a winter showpiece for astrophotographers, as
well as for visual observers at low power. This large emission
nebula is located in Monoceros and can be seen in dark locations with
the naked eye, especially if viewed through a UHC filter held up to the
sky. The nebula actually consists of several sections (NGC
2237-2239),
with a central ladder like star formation known as NGC 2244. The
central stars are young and newly-formed, and their radiation is
responsible for
excitation of hydrogen atoms within the nebula itself, which in turn
emit
light in the red. Make sure to check out the composite
between
this image and my Ha SXV-H9 image.
Photographic Details:
Date: November 22, 2003
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: Canon 10D.
Filter: IDAS LPS.
Exposures: 16 x 5' at ISO 1600.
Conditions: Temperature 35 degrees F; below average transparency;
average seeing; very dewy; calm.
Post-processing: Raw
conversion, adaptive dark frame calibration,
alignment, min/max excluded averaging done in ImagesPlus; Levels, curves, and layer mask adjustments
in
Photoshop; final smoothing done in Pleiades SGBNR software. Star shaping performed using the
technique described by Matt
BenDaniels.
Please
note: Graphics on this website may not be reproduced without
author permission.
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