Horsehead Nebula – B33

Horsehead Nebula – B33

This was imaged over the new years eve under -10 degree temperatures.  The famous Horsehead and Flame nebula are estimated at 1,300-1,500 light years away and is light that left while King Arthur would have lived.  This dense dust cloud lives on the left of Orion’s belt, first recorded in 1888, but some believe was known to be observed before this.

The true horsehead is heavy concentrated dust and actually blocking the view of the interstellar clouds behind.  It creates a pretty cool view from our angle.  Small stars are forming in this dense horsehead, slowly eating away at its dense Hydrogen.

Telescope: Celestron RASA 8 (400mm focal @ f/2)
Filters:  Baader Ultra-Highspeed F/2 3.5nm & 4nm Filters.
Main Camera:  ZWO ASI 1600mm-pro Monochrome
Mount:  Skywatcher EQ6r-Pro
Guide Scope:  William Optics 50mm Uniguide
Guide Camera:  ZWO ASI 290mm-mini

Location:  Pendleton, Oregon
Observatory:  NexDome 2.4m Automated
Bortle:  3-4
Long & Lat:  45.67N, -118.79 W

Ha: 41×60″
Oiii Filter
: 47×60″
Sii Filter: 68×60″
Red:  45×10″
Green:  45×10″
Blue: 45×10″

Calibration Bias: 20
Calibration Dark: 20

Integration Time:  ~3 hours total
Gain:  139 (unity)
Cooling:  -20
Processing Software
:   Astro Pixel Processor, StarXTerminator, NINA, Topaz Labs, PHD2, Photoshop CC