Pictured is: The Great Orion Nebula.
This deep space object is the brightest and most recognizable Nebula visible from Earth.
Here are a few facts about The Great Orion Nebula, also known as Messier 42 (M42):
* The nebula is located in the constellation Orion, specifically the Belt of Orion.
* It is located 1,270 light years from Earth and measures 24 light years across.
* The nebula is the nearest active star-forming region to our solar system.
* Orion is one of the most easily recognized constellations in the winter night sky.
* The Great Orion nebula is visible to the naked eye.
M42 is one of my favorite astrophotography targets, because even an amateur like me can produce a robust picture.
The picture is RAW and was not manupulated in software except to enhance brightness. Equipment used to produce the image included:
Orion (Celestron) 9.25" Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope
Celestron f/6.3 Focal Reducer/Corrector
Orion Atlas GoTo Mount (tracking via SkyScan)
Nikon D80 DSLR (Unmodified)
Sensitivity: ISO-500
Exposure: 85 Seconds
Check back in a couple of days for my next post which will include a whole series of Messier objects that I photographed recently.
Clear Skies!
StarPilot
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