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Nebulae
CCD Astrophotography
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PJM's Astronomy Gallery
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Interstellar matter consisting of mostly hydrogen gas and dust exists amongst the stars in Our Galaxy, the Milky Way. Hot or bright stars yielding ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause this matter to emit light and glow (hence, nebulous). The light from the stars themselves can be reddened, because of the extinction of the shorter, blue, wavelengths by the dust. The Orion Nebula (M42) glows mostly red due to UV light from nearby stars ionising the hydrogen gas and is called an Emission Nebula .
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The Orion Nebula (M42) and M43. 55mm diameter Super-Takumar lens with LP and IR filters. R:G:B images of 20:10:4 minute exposures. 13 Feb. 2001. Mag: 4 Size: 2 deg. x 2 deg. Click on photo for full size luminance image.
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Mosaic of two 2 minute images. M42 and M43 (upper) Nebulae at prime focus with LP filter and 200mm Schmidt-Newtonian on 24 Dec. 1998. Click on photo for full size image.
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When the dust reflects the light from nearby stars the colour is characteristically blue and the nebulosity is referred to as a Reflection Nebula.
M78 in the constellation of Orion is a typical example.
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M78 a Reflection Nebula in Orion. A 2 minute exposure on 27 Mar. 1999 with LP filter and 200mm Schmidt-Newtonian at prime focus. Mag: 8 Size: 8 arcmin.
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Planetary Nebulae, well characterised by M27 and M57, result from old stars shedding their outer layers. This expanding shell of gas surrounds the dying (white dwarf) star and glows, as with an Emission Nebula mechanism.
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M27 (Dumbbell Nebula) a Planetary Nebula in Vulpecula. A composite of R:G:B images of exposure 3:5:4 minutes with 200mm Schmidt-Newtonian at prime focus on 26 July 1999. Mag: 8 Size: 6 arcmin. long. Click on image for 2 min. luminance image of Aug. 1998.
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M57 (Ring Nebula) a Planetary Nebula in Lyra. The inner white dwarf star is more visible in the upper image of 2 min. exposure with Schmidt-Newtonian at prime focus and LP filter on 18 Aug. 2000. Click on image for full scale. Lower image is a composite of R:G:B:L images of 3:4:5:1 minute exposures on 6 July 1999. Mag: 9 Size: 1 arcmin. diameter.
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The explosion of stars, as in supernovae events, leave hot, gaseous remnants. The Crab Nebula (M1) is believed to be the remnants of a supernova explosion observed by the Chinese on 4 July, 1054. It was visible during daylight hours, being four times brighter than Venus.
Dark Nebulae,
exemplified by the Horsehead Nebula, catalogued by Barnard, are a challenge to photograph.
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M1 (Crab Nebula) in Taurus. Also an X-ray and radio emission source.
200mm Schmidt-Newtonian image at prime focus with LP filter. 3 by 3 min. exposures on 15 Mar. 1999. Mag: 8.4 Size: 6 by 4 arcmin. Click on photo for full luminance image.
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Luminance image on left combined with RGB images of 25 March 2000. R:G:B summed exposures of 9:15:8 min. with IR filter.
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This page contains image(s) courtesy of Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Copyright (c) California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. All rights reserved.
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