More than astrophotography, an astronomical exploration.
Monoceros Colors
David Cruz · Astromidnight
In Monoceros, just above the Cone Nebula, young blue stars light up the dust of IC 447. A filament of cold gas links it to IC 446, and stars are being born at both ends.
| Catalogue | Index Catalogue, 1895 · IC 447 (IC 2169) |
| Type | Reflection and dark nebulae |
| Distance | ≈ 2,150 light-years |
| Field | 52.8′ × 79.6′ |
| Real width | ≈ 33 × 50 light-years |
| Scale | 0.78″ / pixel |
| Orientation | 28° · north-east up |
| RA (centre) | 06h 31m 17s |
| DEC (centre) | +10° 07′ 45″ |
| Constellation | Monoceros |
| Objects in field | 4 IC/NGC nebulae · 2 vdB · Collinder 95 · VY Mon |
Distance to the Mon R1 association measured with Gaia (Lim et al. 2022, 660 ± 35 parsecs); earlier studies give 660 to 715 parsecs. The real width assumes that distance. Distance to HD 46240 from Gaia parallax (SIMBAD). Positions of the nebulae taken from the AstroBin labels (approximate); those of Collinder 95, VY Mon and HD 46240 from SIMBAD.
24 h 10 min of light
Each tick is one exposure. 350 in total, with the camera at −10 °C and gain 100. Calibrated with 50 darks, 50 flats and 50 bias. The Moon stayed below 75 % illumination throughout.
Carbon Newton 10' f/4
ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
Sky-Watcher CQ350 Pro
Askar M54 OAG · ZWO ASI120MM Mini
TS-Optics NEWTON Coma Corrector 1.0x (TSGPU)
Player One Anti-Halo Pro Dual-Band Ha+OIII Filter 2"
Adobe Photoshop · Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight · Stefan Berg Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy (N.I.N.A. / NINA)
São Pedro da Gafanhoeira, Évora · 358 m
Bortle 3