Horse Head region

[Starman]

Here's an early stab at the Horse Head Nebula in Orion taken on the morning of the 18th September while waiting for Mars to rise a bit higher...

Larger version available from here: http://www.digitalsky.org.uk/DSO/2007-09-18_Horsehead_1024.jpg

[Astroman]

Hey! It's oriented correctly! Thank you, sir! 8)

[GazOC]

Hey! It's oriented correctly! Thank you, sir! 8)

:lol:I know thats a 'pet thing' of yours AM.

Great shot Pete!

[cygnusx1]

Lovely Pete, can't get much better than that mate!

[daz]

24 minutes to do the exposure

3 hours to do the processing

5 days to get the orientation right

Superb picture, as always!!

[Jamie]

Ditto as all of the above said!!!! 8)

[trevboyd]

That's a great image, and if it's an "early stab", I can't wait to see the final version!

Am I correct in thinking the horse's head can't be seen visually, or at least requires filters?

Trev

[Starman]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Trev, that's right, the HH is very faint indeed. I believe an H-beta filter will show it but you'll still need a reasonable aperture. I nearly got it visually with a 10" f/4.6 reflector once. I could see the flame (the bright patch of nebulosity close to the star Alnitak) easily and a hint at IC434, the bright curtain which lies behind the horse's head, but I couldn't make out the silhouette itself.

As a reference, the two brightest stars on view in this image are Alnitak (near the Flame) and Alnilam (near the top) which are the two left most stars in Orion's belt.

[jonifive]

Beautiful image Pete!

JV

[trevboyd]

Pete, what are the chances of imaging it with an unmodded Canon 350D? I know its probably completely impractical and a silly question, but I'd love to try?

Trev

[Starman]

It definitely records using an unmodified Canon 350D, I've seen lots of examples on the web.

[SteelRat]

Lovely stuff Pete 8)

[Astroman]

Boy, I opened a can of worms with the orientation comment, eh?

I've attempted the HH visually in apertures of 10", 12", 14", 16", 17", 18", 20", 24", 28" and 32" and a couple oddballs. Fast scopes of F/2.3 to F/4, slow scopes from F/8 to F/12. Filters of OIII, (don't ask why, ask "why not?"), HBeta, UHC, photometric V, R, and I. From altitudes of 1400' to 8000'. The Flame looks like the full Moon by comparison. I've never seen the HH visually. Hints of IC434 as Pete mentions, but no sign of the HH itself. I've all but given up. :shock: None of the owners of the aforementioned scopes have seen it either, and some of them have "seen it all", if you know what I mean.

Thanks again Pete for that wonderful image. And orientation.

[Starman]

It is a toughie isn't it?! However, it's positively luminous compared to my next target which barely registered on a 20mins exposure at ISO 1600! More of this one later

[Astroman]

It's funny how it shows up so well in photographs and not in the EP. It's usually the other way around. The dynamic range of the eye is supposed to win here, but, oh well. :scratch: :shaking2:

[barkis]

Nothing much I can add to the comments already made.

Just another PL Oscar Winner.

Ron.

[Cloudgazer]

Thats a beauty Pete..

Scott

[jcm]

Nice shot , Pete. You have captured an amazing amount of detail.

Will have a go a this myself a bit later in the year ( er - I must be one of the lazy astronomers on this site)

It will be interesting to see what I can capture at F4.8 with my 130mm APO.

John