Catalogue
and alternative designations |
Horsehead
nebula, Barnard 33
|
Type |
Dark
nebula |
Position |
05
40 59, -02 27 30 |
Constellation |
Orion |
Camera
and Telescope |
SBIG
STXL6303 and RCOS 36.8cm Ritchey
Chretien |
Focal
Ratio |
F9 |
Exposure
Details |
285
minutes unbinned Hydrogen
Alpha with Astrodon 3nm filter. The
colour version is a HaLRGB image
with Luminance = 70 minutes and
Red = Green = Blue = 50 minutes
all unbinned. Astrodon filters
were used.
|
Description |
The
Horsehead Nebula (also
known as Barnard 33 in
emission nebula IC 434) is a
dark nebula in the constellation
Orion. The nebula is located
about 30' to the south of the
star Alnitak, which is farthest
east on Orion's Belt, and is
part of the much larger Orion
Molecular Cloud Complex. The
nebula was first recorded in
1888 by Williamina Fleming on
photographic plate B2312 taken
at the Harvard College
Observatory. The Horsehead
Nebula is approximately 1500
light years from Earth. It is
one of the most identifiable
nebulae because of the shape of
its swirling cloud of dark dust
and gases, which is similar to
that of a horse's head when
viewed from Earth.
Visually it is a significant
challenge. A H Beta filter
helps.
|