211104 - B33 "Horsehead" nebula
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ASTRO:
type=Emission nebula mag=9 const=Orion dist=1350 ly size=3 ly IMAGE: location=EB Driveway moon=0.3% (new) exposure=DSLR OSC 81x240s (5.4h), ISO1600 EQUIPMENT: camera=Nikon D90 (mod) optics=ES102, w0.8x rdcr, F=571mm, f/5.6 filter=Optolong L-Pro LPS mount=Celestron AVX EQ guiding=Orion 60x240mm, ZWO ASi224MC SOFTWARE: acquisition=Stellarium, APT, PHD2, processing=DSS, PhotoshopCC, LrC |
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The Horsehead Nebula (also known as Barnard 33) is a small dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just to the south of Alnitak, the easternmost star of Orion's Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion molecular cloud complex. It appears within the southern region of the dense dust cloud known as Lynds 1630, along the edge of the much larger, active star-forming H-II region called IC 434.
The Horsehead is located appx 1,375 light-years from Earth. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae in the winter night sky because of its resemblance to a horse's head.
The darkness of the Horsehead itself is caused mostly by thick dust blocking the light of the glowing gas clouds and stars behind it. The visible dark nebula emerging from the gaseous complex is an active site of the formation of "low-mass" stars. Bright spots in the Horsehead Nebula's base are young stars just in the process of forming.
The object to the left of the Horsehead is known as, The Flame Nebula, (designated as Sh2-277 and NGC 2024).
The Horsehead is located appx 1,375 light-years from Earth. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae in the winter night sky because of its resemblance to a horse's head.
The darkness of the Horsehead itself is caused mostly by thick dust blocking the light of the glowing gas clouds and stars behind it. The visible dark nebula emerging from the gaseous complex is an active site of the formation of "low-mass" stars. Bright spots in the Horsehead Nebula's base are young stars just in the process of forming.
The object to the left of the Horsehead is known as, The Flame Nebula, (designated as Sh2-277 and NGC 2024).