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M78 - Reflection nebula in Orion
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Copyright 2007 Frank Hinson
Classified as a reflection nebula, M78 is a cloud of interstellar gas and dust glowing by reflected starlight. It has the bluish color characteristic of all reflection nebulae. M78 is actually composed of several smaller objects...the bright NGC2067 near the bottom and the fainter NGC2071 near the top. If you look closely, you can make out vast regions of light obscuring dust crossing in front of each portion. A much longer total exposure is required to really tease out the detail in these dust lanes...a project for later this winter. The M78 complex is approximately 4 light-years across and is part of the much larger region of gas and dust surrounding and penetrating the constellation of Orion.
M78 lies at a
distance of 1600 light years.
Date/Location:
December 12, 2007 Foster/Hinson
Observatory Bethune, SC
Instrument: Canon 350D (modified IR filtering) Digital SLR through
12.5" f5 Newtonian
Focal Ratio: f5
Guiding: None
Conditions:
Weather:
Exposure: 254 minutes total (127 x 2 minutes @ ISO 1600)
Filters: Baader UV/IR block
Processing: Focused and captured with DSLRFocus.
RAW to TIFF conversion, auto-dark and flat frame calibration, Digital Development,
resizing and JPEG conversion in ImagesPlus.