IC423-426 in Orion
with 10" f/3.9 Astrograph
Uploaded 9/20/26

 

            
The winter MilkyWay
            is coming soon, and here is a surprising field just north of
            the Belt of Orion. The entire scene here is glowing with red
            hydrogen gas, laced with some yellow dust here and there. The
            three blue small objects are reflection nebula - clots of dust
            illuminated by a blue stars inside. They are dozens of light
            years in size, our solar system in comparison would be a speck
            of dust at this scale. The left one looks like North America,
            and one on the right like a winged teardrop. Just off the bottom
            left edge is the middle belt star in Orion.

            
This highly neglected
            field lies in between many brighter and more commonly imaged
            targets such as the Horse Head or Orion Nebula and is located
            just north of the center belt star Epsilon Orionis. Three small
            uniquely shaped reflection nebula are seen here, the upper left
            is IC426, the teardrop shaped one on the lower right is IC423
            and the blue patch above it IC424. Note the layers of color in
            these objects ranges from yellow to peach colors in thier cores
            gradiating to a sky blue in their peripheries.

            
Technical Data: 10"
            f/3.9 Newtonian astrograph, Atik 16200 CCD, HaLRGB = 5.8 hours
            total, Payson, Az.

            
Select an image size for a larger view:

1600 x 1290


Instrument:  10" f/3.9 Orion Astrograph Newtonian with Baader MPCC
Mount:  Astrophysics 1200 QMD
CCD Camera:  ATIK 16200 
Guider: ASI290  w/80mm WO Zenithstar 81 piggyback refractor
Exposure:  5.8 hours HaRGB
Astronomik  RGB Combine Ratio:  1: 1.05: 1.5
Location:  Payson, Arizona, Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing FWHM = 3 arcsec , Transparency 9/10
Outside Temperature:  5 F
CCD Temperature:  -30 C
Image Processing Tools: 
Maxim DL6:  Calibration, PixInsight:  All Remaining processing, Photoshop CS2: Production finishing 

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