Tag Archives: Alnitak

Nebulae in Orion

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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 east on Orion’s Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex.
The reflection nebula NGC 2023 is in the constellation Orion. It is one of the brightest sources of fluorescent molecular hydrogen, and at 4 light-years wide it is one of the largest in the sky. It is powered by the B star (B1.5) HD 37903, the most luminous member of a cluster of young stellar objects illuminating the front surface of the Lynds 1630 molecular cloud (Barnard 33) in Orion B.

The Flame Nebula, designated as NGC 2024 and Sh2-277, is an emission nebula in the constellation Orion. It is about 900 to 1,500light-years away. The bright star Alnitak (ζ Ori), the easternmost star in the Belt of Orion, shines energetic ultraviolet light into the Flame and this knocks electrons away from the great clouds of hydrogen gas that reside there.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Takahashi TSA 102 f/8
Imaging cameras: Canon EOS 1000D / Rebel XS
Mounts: Takahashi EM-400 Temma2
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Lunatico EZG60
Guiding cameras: QHYCCD QHY5
Software: PHD guiding, PixInsight, Bahtinov Grabber
Filters: Astronomik CLS CCD clip in
Dates: Feb. 12, 2012
Frames: Astronomik CLS CCD clip in: 12×600″ ISO800
Integration: 2.0 hours
Darks: ~20
Flats: ~20
Bias: ~20

Author: Alberto Pisabarro
AstroPhotography of the day by SPONLI 15 Aug 2014

Related posts:

  1. Orion Nebula
  2. Orion Nebula
  3. The Orion Molecular Cloud Complex
  4. Flame Nebula

Orion Arising 

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Image Credit: NASA, ISS Expedition 40, Reid Wiseman

 Orion’s belt runs just along the horizon, seen through Earth’s atmosphere and rising in this starry snapshot from low Earth orbit on board the International Space Station. The belt stars, Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka run right to left and Orion’s sword, home to the great Orion Nebula, hangs above his belt, an orientation unfamiliar to denizens of the planet’s northern hemisphere. That puts bright star Rigel, at the foot of Orion, still higher above Orion’s belt. Of course the brightest celestial beacon in the frame is Sirius, alpha star of the constellation Canis Major. The station’s Destiny Laboratory module is in the foreground at the top right.

APOD NASA 28-Jun-14

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  1. Mars and Orion over Monument Valley
  2. M42: Inside the Orion Nebula
  3. The Orion Nebula
  4. The Gegenschein Over Chile

Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka

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Image Credit & Copyright: Rogelio Bernal Andreo (Deep Sky Colors)
Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, are the bright bluish stars from east to west (lower right to upper left) along the diagonal in this gorgeous cosmic vista. Otherwise known as the Belt of Orion, these three blue supergiant stars are hotter and much more massive than the Sun. They lie about 1,500 light-years away, born of Orion’s well-studied interstellar clouds. In fact, clouds of gas and dust adrift in this region have intriguing and some surprisingly familiar shapes, including the dark Horsehead Nebula and Flame Nebula near Alnitak at the lower right. The famous Orion Nebula itself is off the right edge of this colorful star field. The well-framed, wide-field telescopic image spans about 4 degrees on the sky.
NASA APOD 12 December 2013

Related posts:

  1. NGC 1999: South of Orion
  2. Stars and Dust Across Corona Australis
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