Messier 42 -
The Crucible of Creation
This image highlights the core
region of the Great Nebula in Orion, Messier 42, also the locality of the Trapezium stars. The four
Trapezium stars can be seen at centre image appearing to almost merge together into
a white clump, however in reality, the stars are separated from each other by
up-to several light-years distance. Bright knots and wisps of nebulae appear to
surround the Trapezium stars in an almost spherical appearance, evidence
of stellar-winds, produced by the relatively newborn Trapezium stars, blowing
the nebula away from them. The Hubble Space Telescope also imaged this area of
the Great Nebula, see
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/1995/45/image/a
Paul Mayo
| Image Details | 20060319 |
| Image Field of View | approx. 7 arc-minutes wide. |
| Telescope | 12-inch f/5 Newtonian telescope. |
| Guiding | hand guided with 4.5-inch guide-scope. |
| Camera |
Canon EOS 300D Digital - Hα/IR enabled. |
| Exposures | 3 x 15 second exposures @ ISO200 |
| Total Exposure time | 45-seconds. |
| Filter/equipment | Used Baader Multi-purpose Coma Corrector. |
| Sky Conditions | Seeing: 7.5/10. Wind: 3/10. Moisture: 3/10 |
| Ambient Temperature | 23°C |
| Notes | Moon Rising ends imaging session. |
| Image Processing | Iris, Photoshop. |
(C) Copyright 2006 Paul Mayo.
paulm@skylab.com.au