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M42 Orion Nebula

One of the most visible, beautiful and easily identifiable of the messier objects in the northern hemisphere. Situated below the belt of Orion about 1200 light years away , the Large Orion nebula is a large cloud of star forming clouds and dust . The centre 4 stars are part of the trapezium cluster where stars are currently forming.



M42 Orion Nebula
R.A.05h 35m 39.661s (2000.0)
Dec.-5deg; 26' 46.02" (2000.0)
Apparent Size66' x 60'
Radial VelocityN/A
Magnitude+4.00
Distance1200 LY
Group of GalaxiesWithin Milky Way
Other IDsM42
NGC 1976





Here are two narrowband images of M42, with channels swapped around to give different colours. As this is a false palette there is no right or wrong method of mixing, but I prefer the second image. I did not use larger subframes as , even at 30 seconds, I was overexposing the trapezium.

m42.jpg

m42.jpg

Scope Intes Micro MN56
Mount EQ6 skyscan unguided.
ExposureL : 100 x 10 sec, Ha:18 x 30 sec, O3: 10 x 30 sec, Si2 : 14 x 30 sec
Post-processingstacked, curved layered and mixed in AA3. Mild edge preserving smooth from PSP 7 applied to final image.
FiltersTT IR, Astronomik Ha and Si2, Meade O3.
CameraStarlight Express SXV-H9
Location Claines Top Observatory
Date29th November 2005, 22:00 - 02:00 L channel taken on 21st Jan 2006.




m42.jpg

M42and M43 taken on 15th Jan 2002. 2 Minute unguided exposure on fuji 800 through 120mm f5 refractor in the cotswolds on vixen GP-DX mount. NGC1977 ( the 'Running Man' Nebula ) is visible on the left hand side of the image. Also in the image is open cluster NGC 1981 , to the left of NGC 1977.

Scope 120mm f5 helios refractor
Mount Vixen GP-DX unguided
Exposure2 min unguided
Post-processingScanned in. No sharpening.
FiltersNone
CameraCanon FX1
Location Cotswolds
Date15th Jan 2002.