Total Exposure Time: 5:40 hours L(bin1); RGB(bin2),
LRGB 120:80:60:80 // 8x15min frames + 22x10min frames UNGUIDED
Location RA 06h 40m 32s, Dec +09° 51' 50"
Pos Angle +90° 38', FL 599.8 mm, 3.87"/Pixel
This image is 1570x1198 pixels
Officina Stellare Riccardi-Honders Veloce 200 RH OTA
ASA DDM60 Pro Mount
Officina Stellare - http://www.officinastellare.com/products_scheda.php?idProd=15
On my site - http://www.pbase.com/boren/officina_stellare_riccardihonders_veloce_rh_200
Deeper technical informaiton on the Riccardi-Honders design - http://www.telescope-optics.net/honders_camera.htm
ASA DDM60 Pro - http://www.astrosysteme.at/eng/mount_ddm60.html
On my site - http://www.pbase.com/boren/asa_ddm60_pro
SBIG ST8300M, Ha Astrodon Gen II 5 nm
Strange shapes and textures can be found in neighborhood of the Cone Nebula. The unusual shapes originate from fine interstellar dust reacting in complex ways with the energetic light and hot gas being expelled by the young stars.
The brightest star on the right of the above picture is S Mon, while the region just below it has been nicknamed the Fox Fur Nebula for its color and structure. The blue glow directly surrounding S Mon results from reflection, where neighboring dust reflects light from the bright star. The red glow that encompasses the whole region results not only from dust reflection but also emission from hydrogen gas ionized by starlight.
S Mon is part of a young open cluster of stars named NGC 2264, located about 2500 light years away toward the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros). Even though it points right at S Mon, details of the origin of the mysterious geometric Cone Nebula, visible on the far left, remain a mystery. (Ref. image shot by the Subaru Telescope on APOD http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130806.html). Of course, the stars of NGC 2264 are also known as the Christmas Tree star cluster. The triangular tree shape traced by the stars appears here with its apex at the Cone Nebula and its broader base centered near S Mon (ref. APOD http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120410.html).
