Flaming Star and Tadpole Nebulae

[The Lazy Astronomer]

Here is my first attempt at the two most famous(?) nebulae in Auriga.

LRGB capture with Evoguide 50 and ZWO 294MM. Luminance flats didn't correct dust motes properly (RGB flats were fine), so some more work needed on calibration frames...

Integration times in the different channels are all over the place in this one for various reasons, and I wanted more luminance, but due to days getting longer and trees blocking my view, I've kind of run out of time on this target this year I think. 

132 x lum, 45 x red, 32 x green and 90 x blue, 20 x flats, 20 x dark flats, 19 x darks (all 2 minutes, unguided). 9h58m total integration time.

Processed (poorly) in Startools - really didn't enjoy the processing on this one, the were so many stars it was overwhelming, and it was quite a challenge to push them back. Probably completely restarted processing about 7 times. Sick of redoing it, so this is the final image (for now).

Have to say I'm a little bit disappointed I wasn't able to get more of the faint gas and dust, but perhaps longer subs would be needed to get that. Anyway, here's the image:

 

[Aramcheck]

I find it interesting that we only see the Flaming Star nebula due to the eruptive variable O-type star AE Auriga, which is a runaway star from the trapezium region of M42. According to Wikipedia it was ejected from the Orion Nebula about 2 million years ago, so it's just a fluke that now it's passing through that region & ionizing the hydrogen gas.

Cheers
Ivor

[The Lazy Astronomer]

4 hours ago, Aramcheck said:

I find it interesting that we only see the Flaming Star nebula due to the eruptive variable O-type star AE Auriga, which is a runaway star from the trapezium region of M42. According to Wikipedia it was ejected from the Orion Nebula about 2 million years ago, so it's just a fluke that now it's passing through that region & ionizing the hydrogen gas.

Cheers
Ivor

Yes, it certainly is interesting to think that if AE Auriga had travelled in just a slightly different direction, this nebula may not have been visible (or at least much less visible)