The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula situated south of Orion’s Belt in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. M42 is located at a distance of1,344 ± 20 light years and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light years across. It has a mass of about 2000 times the mass of the Sun. Older texts frequently refer to the Orion Nebula as the Great Nebula in Orion or the Great Orion Nebula.

The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky, and is among the most intensely studied celestial features. The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have directly observed protoplanetary disks, brown dwarfs, intense and turbulent motions of the gas, and the photo-ionizing effects of massive nearby stars in the nebula.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Astro-Tech AT111EDT
Imaging cameras: SBIG STF-8300M
Mounts: Orion Sirius EQ-G Goto
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Orion Mini Guidescope
Guiding cameras: ALccd / QHYCCD QHY5L II mono
Focal reducers: WILLIAM OPTICS P-FLAT 4
Software: Adobe PhotoshopCS6
Filters: Baader LRGB 2″ Filters
Accessories: Starlight Xpress SX USB Filter Wheel 5×2″
Resolution: 3257×2532
Dates: Oct. 16, 2014
Frames: 5×600″
Integration: 0.8 hours
Avg. Moon age: 22.32 days
Avg. Moon phase: 48.17%
RA center: 83.873 degrees
DEC center: -5.354 degrees
Orientation: -164.396 degrees
Field radius: 0.976 degrees

Аuthor: berchan, 21.10.2014

AstroPhotography of the day of SPONLI