Reflection nebula – AstroFotoBlog

M78 Nebula

October 3, 2024 JakubK

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The M78 Nebula, also known as Messier 78, is a bright reflection nebula located in the constellation Orion, about 1,350 light-years from Earth. Known for its striking blue color, M78 is illuminated by the light of young, hot stars embedded within it. The nebula’s dust particles reflect this starlight, creating a luminous glow that highlights its wispy clouds and dark lanes of dust. M78 is one of the brightest reflection nebulae in the sky and is a fascinating region of active star formation, where new stars continue to emerge within dense pockets of gas and dust.

Telescope	Newtonian 200/800 mm
Aperture	200 mm
Focal length	800 mm
Mount	Skywatcher EQ6R
Autoguiding	ZWO 174MM, WO 40/200 mm
Camera	ZWO 071MC @-10°C
Corrector	GPU
Filters	–
Exposure	200x180s, Gain 100, bin 1×1,
Date	2024-10-03

Lagoon Nebula (M8) and Trifid Nebula (M20)

October 1, 2024 JakubK

H II nebula Reflection nebula

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DSO Esprit100ED Lagoon nebula M20 M8 Messier20 Messier8 Nebula Rainbow Astro RST135 Sagittarius Trifid nebula

The Lagoon Nebula (M8) and the Trifid Nebula (M20) are two iconic star-forming regions in the constellation Sagittarius, located approximately 4,100 and 5,200 light-years from Earth, respectively.

The Lagoon Nebula (right) is a vast emission nebula filled with glowing hydrogen gas, creating a reddish hue. Spanning about 110 light-years across, it’s a region rich with young stars and dense, dark clouds of gas and dust, where new stars continue to form. The Lagoon’s large, bright structure and open star cluster make it a prominent and popular sight in the Milky Way.

The Trifid Nebula (left) is known for its unique appearance, where dark dust lanes divide its central region into three distinct lobes, giving it a “trifid” or “three-part” look. The Trifid features a combination of reddish emission nebula, blue reflection nebula, and dark nebula, creating a beautiful, multicolored display. Together, the Lagoon and Trifid nebulae offer a stunning view of diverse nebular activity and star formation.

Telescope	Skywatcher Esprit 100ED
Aperture	100 mm
Focal length	550 mm
Mount	Rainbow Astro RST135
Autoguiding	ZWO 178MM, QHY Mini Guide Scope
Camera	ZWO 2600MM @-10°C
Corrector	Skywatcher flattener
Filters	Antlia HaRGB
Exposure	127x180s, Gain 100, bin 1×1,
Date	2024-10-01

Dark Nebula in the constellation Corona Australis

September 29, 2024 JakubK

Dark Nebula Reflection nebula

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Askar ACL200 Corona Australis DSO iOptron HEM15 Kiripotib Namibia Nebula ZWO ASI6200MC

The Dark Nebula in the constellation Corona Australis, also known as the Corona Australis Molecular Cloud, is a dense region of interstellar dust and gas located about 430 light-years from Earth. This dark nebula is notable for its opaque appearance, as it blocks light from stars behind it, creating a stark, shadowy silhouette against the surrounding star field. Within this cloud, young stars are actively forming, and the nebula itself appears to be dotted with faint, reflection nebulae illuminated by these young stars. Its dark, dusty tendrils make it a fascinating example of a star-forming region hidden in shadow, offering a glimpse into the early stages of stellar evolution.

Telescope	Askar ACL200
Aperture	50 mm
Focal length	200 mm
Mount	iOptron HEM15
Autoguiding	ZWO ASI485MC, QHY Mini Guide Scope
Camera	ZWO 6200MC @0°C
Corrector	–
Filters	–
Exposure	102x300s, Gain 100, bin 1×1,
Date	2024-09-29

IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula

September 29, 2024 JakubK

Reflection nebula

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Askar ACL200 IC2118 iOptron HEM15 Kiripotib Namibia Orion Witch Head Nebula ZWO ASI6200MC

The Witch Head Nebula is a striking and eerie interstellar cloud of dust and gas located in the constellation Orion. Its distinct shape, resembling the profile of a witch’s face in profile, is created by the illumination of nearby stars. This nebula spans about 50 light-years across and is primarily composed of hydrogen gas, which glows faintly in the presence of ultraviolet radiation from neighboring stars. The nebula is a site of ongoing star formation, with young, hot stars embedded within its dusty tendrils.

I tried to capture this nebula several times, but the outcomes were always questionable. This time I had excellent sky conditions – no clouds, no humidity, and nothing that bothered me in creating finally the image I like.

Telescope	Askar ACL200
Aperture	50 mm
Focal length	200 mm
Mount	iOptron HEM15
Autoguiding	ZWO ASI485MC, QHY Mini Guide Scope
Camera	ZWO 6200MC @0°C
Filters	–
Exposure	101x300s, Gain 100, bin 1×1,
Date	2024-09-29

IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula

January 8, 2024 JakubK

Reflection nebula

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Askar ACL200 Broad band IC2118 Nagens Nebula Orion Rainbow Astro RST135 Rigel Witch Head Nebula ZWO ASI6200MC

Telescope	Askar ACL 200 F4
Aperture	50 mm
Focal length	200 mm
Mount	Rainbow Astro RST 135
Autoguiding	ZWO 178MM, QHY Mini Guide Scope
Camera	ZWO 6200MC @-10°C
Filters	none
Exposure	73x180s, Gain 100, bin 1×1,
Date	2024-01-08

Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex

May 19, 2023 JakubK

H II nebula Milky Way Reflection nebula

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Barnard 59 Blue Horsehead nebula IC 4591 IC 4592 IC 4691 iOptron Skyguider Pro Milky Way Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex Samyang 135 f2 Scorpius Serpent Nebula ZWO ASI6200MC

The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex orchestrates a stunning cosmic symphony, blending dark dust lanes, reflection nebulae, and young stars in a mesmerizing display. This celestial masterpiece unfolds approximately 460 light-years away, captivating observers with its intricate dance of stellar birth and evolution. Two notable celestial gems within the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex are the Serpent Nebula (Barnard 59) and the Crown Nebula (IC 4592). The Serpent Nebula winds through dark dust lanes, while the Crown Nebula emits a soft celestial glow akin to a cosmic crown. These nebulae, along with their stellar companions, add a touch of enchantment to this cosmic masterpiece.

This deep-space object is surrounded by other space marvels. Specifically by the Blue Horsehead Nebula on the upper side, IC 4591 on the right side, and there is a galactic bulge on the left side.

This picture is a panorama of two frames. The initial plan was to continue toward the left into the Milky Way, but this plan was ruined by the weather, so it can be considered an unfinished project.

Technical details:

Telescope	Samyang 135 mm F2 @f2.4
Aperture	67.5 mm
Focal length	135 mm
Mount	iOptron Skyguider Pro
Autoguiding	ZWO 174MM, QHY Mini Guide Scope
Camera	ZWO 6200MC @-10°C
Filters	no
Exposure	165x300s, Gain 100, bin 1×1,
Date	2023-05-19

NGC 5367 Reflection Nebula in Centaurus

May 18, 2023 JakubK

Reflection nebula

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Antlia V-Pro RGB Centaurus Kiripotib Namibia NGC 5367 NGC5367 Rainbow Astro RST135 Reflection Nebula in Centaurus Sharpstar 94EDPH ZWO ASI 2600MM

In the vast expanse of the Centaurus constellation, a celestial wonder awaits the gaze of astronomers and stargazers alike. NGC 5367, a mesmerizing reflection nebula, beckons us with its ethereal beauty and enigmatic allure. At the heart of NGC 5367 lies a stellar nursery, where new stars come to life. The nebula’s blue hues reflect the presence of young, hot stars, illuminating the surrounding gas and dust. NGC 5367, a reflection nebula in Centaurus, invites us to witness the cosmic artistry of light and dust. As we gaze upon this celestial wonder, we are reminded of the vastness and splendor of the universe, fueling our sense of wonder and exploration.

I had to dedicate a lot of imaging time to this deep-space object. Specifically, my camera was collecting 11 hours and 30 minutes, because all reflection nebulae need a lot of time to reveal all the details.

Technical details:

Telescope	Sharpstar 94EDPH
Aperture	94 mm
Focal length	414 mm
Mount	Rainbow Astro RST 135
Autoguiding	ZWO 178MM, QHY Mini Guide Scope
Camera	ZWO 2600MM @-10°C
Corrector	F4.4 Quad Reducer
Filters	Antlia V-Pro LRGB
Exposure	138x300s, Gain 100, bin 1×1,
Date	2023-05-18

IC 4592 Blue Horsehead nebula

May 30, 2022 JakubK

Reflection nebula

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Blue Horsehead nebula IC 4592 IC4592 iOptron Skyguider Pro Namibia Scorpius William Optics RedCat 51 ZWO ASI071MC Pro

IC 4592, also known as the Blue Horsehead Nebula, is a stunning region of dust and gas located in the constellation Scorpius, about 4000 light-years away from Earth. The nebula gets its name from the shape of its central dark cloud, which appears to resemble the head of a horse. The blue color of the nebula comes from the reflection of light from nearby stars (Nu Scorpii) off of the dust particles in the cloud.

Telescope	William Optics RedCat 51/250 f4.9
Aperture	51 mm
Focal length	250 mm
Mount	iOptron Skyguider Pro
Autoguiding	ZWO 178MM, QHY Mini Guide Scope 30/130 mm
Camera	ZWO ASI071 MC Pro @-10 °C
Filters	–
Exposure	50x180s, Gain 95
Date	2022-05-30

Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex

May 29, 2022 JakubK

Dark Nebula Globular cluster H II nebula Reflection nebula

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Canon EOS 6D iOptron Skyguider Pro Kiripotib Namibia Rho Ophiuchi Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex William Optics RedCat 51

The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a dense region of gas and dust located in the constellation Ophiuchus, near the border with Scorpius. It is one of the closest star-forming regions to Earth and contains a number of young, hot stars as well as protostars still in the process of forming. The cloud complex is known for its striking red and blue colors, caused by the presence of ionized gas and reflection of starlight off dust grains. Basically, nearly all the colors of the universe can be seen here.

Telescope	William Optics RedCat 51/250 f4.9
Aperture	51 mm
Focal length	250 mm
Mount	iOptron Skyguider Pro
Autoguiding	ZWO 178MM, QHY Mini Guide Scope 30/130 mm
Camera	Canon EOS 6Da
Filters	none
Exposure	60x120s, ISO 1600
Date	2022-05-29

Cygnus

July 10, 2021 JakubK

Asterism Dark Nebula H II nebula Milky Way Reflection nebula Supernova remnant

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Askar FMA180 f4.5 Canon EOS 6D Crete Cygnus Deneb DSO iOptron Skyguider Pro NGC6960 NGC7000 North America Nebula Sadr Sadr Region Samyang 24 mm f1.4 Sigma 50 mm f1.4 Art Swan Veil nebula

I went to Crete without a detailed plan on which deep space objects to capture. The primary target was Rho Ophiuchi, which I captured really well. Then I started to think about the next objects. Obviously, if you are in a dark place, you can point your camera nearly anywhere. However, there are some regions full of stars and deep space objects. For example constellation Cygnus, which is sometimes called the Northern Cross. It is located visually on the plane of the Milky Way galactic disk, therefore there are many deep space objects.

Let’s have a look at a wide-field picture captured by a 24 mm lens attached to Canon EOS 6Da:

Let’s zoom a bit by changing the lens to a 50 mm focal length. Here the constellation is perfectly centered:

Let’s zoom further to the central star Sadr by change of the lens to 180 mm focal length:

Let’s keep the focal length 180 mm and let’s have a look at the left star Deneb and very famous North America nebula:

Again, let’s keep the focal length 180 mm and change to perspective to the bottom (eastern) star Aljanah, where the beautiful supernova remnant the Veil nebula is located:

In total, the camera collected 15.5 hours of light and I am happy with the result.

NGC 6726 Nebula

September 13, 2020 JakubK

Reflection nebula Uncategorized

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Corona Australis DSO Globular cluster Kythira MaxField coma corrector Nebula Newton 150/600 NGC6723 Chandelier cluster NGC6726 Rainbow Astro RST135 ZWO ASI071MC Pro

NGC 6726 is a reflection nebula located in the constellation Corona Australis. Visually, there is a deep space neighbor, the Chandelier globular cluster NGC 6723. These deep space objects can be also found on my wide-angle picture of the Milky Way in the left bottom corner .

Telescope	Newton 150/600 mm
Aperture	150 mm
Focal length	570 mm
Mount	Rainbow Astro RST 135
Autoguiding	ZWO 174MM, Guidescope 30 mm
Camera	ZWO 071 Pro @-0°C
Corrector	TS MaxField
Filters	No
Exposure	44x180s, Gain 94, bin 1x1,
Date	2020-09-13

IC 4304 Rho Ophiuchi Nebula

July 21, 2020 JakubK

Dark Nebula Reflection nebula

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Dark nebula DSO Fuerteventura IC4604 MaxField coma corrector Nebula Newton 150/600 Ophiuchus Rainbow Astro RST135 Reflection nebula Rho Ophiuchi ZWO ASI071MC Pro

Rho Ophiuchi is a triple star system (on the left side of the picture) in the constellation Ophiuchus. The light from the stars is partially absorbed by the gas, which makes the blue reflection nebula visible. A smaller reflection nebula called IC 4603 is located on the right. The picture shows just a small frame of the significantly bigger nebula, called the Rho Ophiuchi complex, which combines star Antares, globular cluster M4, and many more reflection, emission, and dark nebulae. In order to capture the whole complex, one has to use a significantly shorter focal length, like 130 – 200 mm.

The picture was taken under the dark skies of Fuerteventura and it’s a stack of 73 pictures, 3 minutes each, which makes the total integration time 219 minutes.

Technical details:

Telescope	Newton 150/600 mm
Aperture	150 mm
Focal length	570 mm
Mount	Rainbow Astro RST 135
Autoguiding	ZWO 174MM, Guidescope 30 mm
Camera	ZWO 071 Pro @-0°C
Corrector	TS MaxField
Filters	No
Exposure	73x180s, Gain 94, bin 1x1,
Date	2020-07-21

M8 Lagoon Nebula, M20 Trifid Nebula

July 18, 2020 JakubK

Dark Nebula H II nebula Open cluster Reflection nebula

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Fuerteventura Lagoon nebula M20 M8 MaxField coma corrector Messier20 Messier8 Newton 150/600 Rainbow Astro RST135 Sagittarius Trifid nebula ZWO ASI071MC Pro

These two magnificent nebulae are located visually close to each other in the constellation Sagittarius. This means we are looking in the direction of the galactic core of the Milky Way. Trifid Nebula (up left) is a combination of a reflection nebula (blue part), a dark nebula (brown clouds), an emission nebula (red region), and a star cluster. On the other hand, the Lagoon nebula (right side) is an emission nebula – a giant cloud of ionized HII gas. Due to the very low southern declination, it’s challenging to photograph these deep space objects from my home place in Central Europe. Therefore every time I travel south, I take the opportunity and recapture these nebulae. My first attempt of M20 was made with a focal length of 917 mm, the second one with 630 mm and now I used a gentle focal reducer. A focal length of 570 mm allowed me to fit both nebulae into the field of view of the APS-C sensor size. The picture is an integration of 213 minutes, taken under the dark skies of Fuerteventura.

Technical details:

Telescope	Newton 150/600 mm
Aperture	150 mm
Focal length	570 mm
Mount	Rainbow Astro RST 135
Autoguiding	ZWO 174MM, Guidescope 30 mm
Camera	ZWO 071 Pro @-0°C
Corrector	TS MaxField
Filters	No
Exposure	71x180s, Gain 94, bin 1x1,
Date	2020-07-18

NGC7023 Iris nebula

September 3, 2019 JakubK

Dark Nebula Reflection nebula

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Astronomik L-1 UV IR Block Filter Avalon M-Zero Cepheus Dark nebula DSO Explore scientific coma corrector Iris nebula Karpathos Nebula Newton 150/600 NGC7023 Reflection nebula

Iris nebula, known as NGC 7023, is a reflection/dark nebula located in constellation Cepheus. It’s 1300 light years far from the Solar system and it has 6 light years in diameter. In the middle of the nebula rules so called baby star, which is only few thousand years old. The star was created partially from the gas which is now illuminated.

The picture was taken under dark skies of Greek island Karpathos during my 2019 expedition. Unfortunately, the weather was very bad. There wasn’t a single cloud on the sky, but it was extremely windy, therefore I got only one single steady night and this night I wanted to capture also other deep space objects. Therefore the picture is a stack of only 37 pictures, each 2 minutes long.

Technical details:

Telescope	Newton 150/600 mm
Aperture	150 mm
Focal length	630 mm
Mount	Avalon M-Zero
Autoguiding	ZWO 174MM, Guidescope 30 mm
Camera	ZWO 071 Pro @-5°C
Corrector	Explore Scientific HR
Filters	Astronomik L-1 - UV IR Block Filter
Exposure	37x120s, Gain 94, bin 1x1,
Date	2019-09-03

M78 Nebula

December 13, 2018 JakubK

Reflection nebula

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DSO Gemini gf53 Hutech IDAS LPS-D2 M78 Messier78 Nebula Newton 254/1000 Orion Reflection nebula TS MaxField coma corrector ZWO ASI071MC Pro

Messier 78 is a reflection nebula located in constellation Orion, visually not far from stars Alnitak Alnilam and Mintaka, which form the Orion’s belt. This nebula is one of the brightest reflection nebulas on the sky, due to reflection of the light coming from two bright stars called HD38563A and HD38563B.

My previous attempt to capture this nebula during my expedition to Schwarzwald was not that successful, due to the due problems, therefore I dedicated nearly 3 hours to this DSO. However, it looks like the picture would need longer integration time.

Technical details:

Telescope	Newton 254/1000 mm
Aperture	254 mm
Focal length	950 mm
Mount	Gemini G53f
Autoguiding	ZWO 174MM, TS 60/240 mm
Camera	ZWO 071 Pro @-20°C
Corrector	TS-Optics 2" 3-element MaxField
Filters	Hutech IDAS LPS-D2
Exposure	50x180s, Gain 94, bin 1x1,
Date	2018-12-13

IC59 IC63 Gama Cassiopeia nebula

December 8, 2016 JakubK

Reflection nebula

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DSO Gama Cassiopeia nebula IC59 IC63 Nebula Reflection nebula

Is a reflection nebula located in constellation Cassiopeia, approximately 600 light years from Solar System. This nebula is very dim, therefore I used narrow band filters Ha, OIII and SII and composed two pictures. One is composed in real colors, second in fake (Hubble) color palette.

Reflection nebulae

Reflection nebulae are interstellar clouds of gas and dust, which reflect the light coming from nearby stars. Compared to emission nebulae, reflection nebulae are excited by significantly lower energy, therefore the gas is not ionized and therefore these nebulae only reflect the light, but not emit.



	
	
		
	

	

				
					
		
		
		
			
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									IC2118_Witch_Head_Nebula_2021-12-30-6D-Askar180+5C-180s-35xIso1600 (1 of 2)_cr
															
		

	


	

	

				
					
		
		
		
			
									IC4592-BlueHorsehead

NGC7023 Iris nebula

August 10, 2016 JakubK

Reflection nebula

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DSO Iris nebula Nebula NGC7023 Reflection nebula

Iris nebula is one of the most difficult deep space object to capture. Not the nebula itself, but the dark clouds around it. In order to capture these clouds you have to be under very good skies – with minimal light pollution. The reason is simple – the clouds are dark, but the background as well, therefore if you want to visualize the contrast between something which is dark and something which is even darker, good skies are essential. Since I live in sub-urban area, I had to wait till 1 o’clock at night. At this time nearly all street lamps are switched off and the light pollution drops to acceptable level.

Anyway back to the nebula – it’s reflective nebula (similar to Pleiades) located in constellation Cepheus. It’s 1300 light years far from the Solar system and it has 6 light years in diameter.

AstroFotoBlog

Category: Reflection nebula

M78 Nebula

Lagoon Nebula (M8) and Trifid Nebula (M20)

Dark Nebula in the constellation Corona Australis

IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula

IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula

Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex

Technical details:

NGC 5367 Reflection Nebula in Centaurus

Technical details:

IC 4592 Blue Horsehead nebula

Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex

Cygnus

NGC 6726 Nebula

IC 4304 Rho Ophiuchi Nebula

Technical details:

M8 Lagoon Nebula, M20 Trifid Nebula

Technical details:

NGC7023 Iris nebula

Technical details:

M78 Nebula

Technical details:

IC59 IC63 Gama Cassiopeia nebula

Reflection nebulae

NGC7023 Iris nebula

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