Alnitak, Flame Nebula, Horsehead Nebula
Alnitak, the 5th brightest star in the Constellation Orion, is the star to the left (from our view) of the triad of stars in the belt. It has two large nebulae, the Flame Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula. The Horsehead Nebula is a cloud of dark, cold gas seen against the large Orion molecular cloud complex. The Flame Nebula is an emission nebula--it absorbs energy from nearby stars, which releases an electron from gaseous hydrogen atoms. When an electron is replaced, light is emitted, causing the cloud of hydrogen atoms to glow.
Forty photos were taken (ISO 10,000, 560 mm, f/8.0, 60 sec) with the aid of an Ioptron SkyGuider to track the stars. Starry Sky Stacker was use to rotate the stars to reduce streaking and minimize long exposure and high ISO artefacts. Photoshop and Topaz Denoise AI were used in processing.
Shot from the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area in western Colorado.
Alnitak, Flame Nebula, Horsehead Nebula
Alnitak, the 5th brightest star in the Constellation Orion, is the star to the left (from our view) of the triad of stars in the belt. It has two large nebulae, the Flame Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula. The Horsehead Nebula is a cloud of dark, cold gas seen against the large Orion molecular cloud complex. The Flame Nebula is an emission nebula--it absorbs energy from nearby stars, which releases an electron from gaseous hydrogen atoms. When an electron is replaced, light is emitted, causing the cloud of hydrogen atoms to glow.
Forty photos were taken (ISO 10,000, 560 mm, f/8.0, 60 sec) with the aid of an Ioptron SkyGuider to track the stars. Starry Sky Stacker was use to rotate the stars to reduce streaking and minimize long exposure and high ISO artefacts. Photoshop and Topaz Denoise AI were used in processing.
Shot from the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area in western Colorado.