| "The sky is the ultimate art gallery just above us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 82) |
Astrophotography by Jason Jennings |
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| Nebulae :: Environs of S Monocerotis | |
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| Resolutions Available: 1000x525 : 2000x1051 : 3000x1576 | |
| Object | Environs of S Monocerotis |
| Comment |
Glowing hydrogen gas fills this gorgeously detailed sky view centered on the variable star S Monocerotis (S Mon) in the faint but fanciful constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn. A star forming region (NGC 2264), the complex jumble of cosmic gas and dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and mixes reddish emission nebulae excited by energetic light from newborn stars with dark interstellar dust clouds. Where the otherwise obscuring dust clouds lie close to stars they also reflect starlight, forming blue reflection nebulae. Its cast of cosmic characters includes the Cone Nebula (far left), the Fox Fur Nebula, whose convoluted pelt lies just below S Mon, and the Christmas Tree star cluster. The triangular Christmas Tree cluster appears sideways here, with its apex at the Cone Nebula and its broader base centered on S Mon. Text source adapted from APOD. An annotated image produced by Sakib Rasool is available here for reference. Thanks Sakib. Image is a [HA+L],[Ha+R]GB composite two panel mosaic. |
| Optics | RCOS 12.5" F/9 (2874mm FL) |
| Camera | Apogee Alta F16M - 1x1 bin (image scale: .65 arcsec/pix) |
| Mount | Software Bisque Paramount ME |
| Exposure | Total exposure time: 31 hours |
| Date | June 2014 |