Cone area (within NGC 2264)

clic for 35% size 1400 x 952 (415 kB)

clic here for 50% size 2000 x 1360 (713 kB)

 

About this Image

Clouds of reddish glowing hydrogen gas and blue reflection areas fill this colorful skyscape in the constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn. A star forming region cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of cosmic gas and dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and mixes reddish emission nebulae excited by energetic light from newborn stars with dark interstellar dust clouds.

At the top left side of the image there is the Cone Nebula, which gets its unique name from the large cone shaped dark nebula, the bright tip of the Cone is lit up by, and blocks the light from a nearby hot blue star. The complex complex structures are formed by stellar winds and condensation of dust. The fine bows are Herbig Haro objects.
North is to the right.

Find a wider view of this area taken 2005: here.

 


Technical Details
Optics

16" cassegrain in secondary focus at f/10

Mount MK-100 GEM
Camera SBIG STL-11000M at -25C, 8-pos filter wheel
Filters Baader LRGB
Date Feb 19, 2009.
Location Wildon/Austria
Sky Conditions mag 5.5 sky, FWHM 2.5-3.4", temperature -5 C
Exposure L:R:G:B = 150:80:80:80 min (20 min subs)
Programs used Maxim DL 4.5;
CCDStack
Fitsliberator
Photoshop CS3