Terry Robison
Witche Head Nebula
The Witch Head Nebula (also known as IC 2118) is a faint, eerie-looking reflection nebula in the constellation Eridanus, near the bright star Rigel in the neighbouring constellation Orion. Its name comes from its resemblance to the profile of a witch's face, complete with a hooked nose and chin.
This rendition is a little different. The image scale of my instrument does not allow the entire Witch head to be seen, only the chin and nose are in the frame. I have also flipped the traditional orientation, which is upside down in the version. I think it works in this orientation, the highlighting at the top is my favourite part.
Here are some key features:
Composition: The nebula is made up of interstellar dust and gas that reflects the light of nearby stars, primarily Rigel. This scattered light gives the nebula its characteristic bluish colour, enhanced by the dust particles, which scatter blue light more efficiently than red.
Location and Size: It lies approximately 900 to 1,000 light-years from Earth and spans about 50 light-years, making it a large structure in the sky.
Illumination: The bright light from Rigel is the primary source of illumination, but other nearby stars also contribute. The nebula's reflection effect is similar to how Earth's atmosphere scatters sunlight.
Appearance: Its spooky, ghostly shape and faint glow make it a striking subject for astrophotographers and astronomers.
Astronomical Interest: The nebula's dusty regions are of interest for studying the processes of star formation and the interaction of starlight with interstellar matter.
The Witch Head Nebula is a fascinating example of how simple interstellar materials can create striking, familiar shapes in the cosmos when viewed from Earth.
Instruments:
Telescope: 10" Ritchey-Chrétien RCOS
Camera: SBIG STXL-11000 Mono
Mount: Astro-Physics AP-900
Focal Length: 2310.00 mm
Pixel size: 9.00 um
Resolution: 0.82 arcsec/pix
Exposures:
Lum 72 X 600
Red 30 X 380
Green 30 X 380
Blue 30 X 380
Total exposure: 21.5 Hours
Thanks for looking
Witche Head Nebula
The Witch Head Nebula (also known as IC 2118) is a faint, eerie-looking reflection nebula in the constellation Eridanus, near the bright star Rigel in the neighbouring constellation Orion. Its name comes from its resemblance to the profile of a witch's face, complete with a hooked nose and chin.
This rendition is a little different. The image scale of my instrument does not allow the entire Witch head to be seen, only the chin and nose are in the frame. I have also flipped the traditional orientation, which is upside down in the version. I think it works in this orientation, the highlighting at the top is my favourite part.
Here are some key features:
Composition: The nebula is made up of interstellar dust and gas that reflects the light of nearby stars, primarily Rigel. This scattered light gives the nebula its characteristic bluish colour, enhanced by the dust particles, which scatter blue light more efficiently than red.
Location and Size: It lies approximately 900 to 1,000 light-years from Earth and spans about 50 light-years, making it a large structure in the sky.
Illumination: The bright light from Rigel is the primary source of illumination, but other nearby stars also contribute. The nebula's reflection effect is similar to how Earth's atmosphere scatters sunlight.
Appearance: Its spooky, ghostly shape and faint glow make it a striking subject for astrophotographers and astronomers.
Astronomical Interest: The nebula's dusty regions are of interest for studying the processes of star formation and the interaction of starlight with interstellar matter.
The Witch Head Nebula is a fascinating example of how simple interstellar materials can create striking, familiar shapes in the cosmos when viewed from Earth.
Instruments:
Telescope: 10" Ritchey-Chrétien RCOS
Camera: SBIG STXL-11000 Mono
Mount: Astro-Physics AP-900
Focal Length: 2310.00 mm
Pixel size: 9.00 um
Resolution: 0.82 arcsec/pix
Exposures:
Lum 72 X 600
Red 30 X 380
Green 30 X 380
Blue 30 X 380
Total exposure: 21.5 Hours
Thanks for looking