THE HORSEHEAD NEBULA (B33)




Date: 15th January 2012
Scope: ED80
Camera: Atik 16ic + Baader Ha 7nm Filter
Exposure: 24X300secs Ha
Guiding: Modified Toucam SC3 - EQ6 Pro - Brightstar OAG
Location: Bromley, Kent.
Comments: First image in a long time (approx. 4 months). Suprised all the kit worked with no issues. The Horsehead Nebula (also known as Barnard 33 in emission nebula IC 434) is a dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just to the south of the star Alnitak, which is farthest west on Orion's Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. The Horsehead Nebula is approximately 1500 light years from Earth. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae because of the shape of its swirling cloud of dark dust and gases, which is similar to that of a horse's head when viewed from Earth.