From the Orion's Sword to the Belt

clic for 42% size 1201 x 682 (151 kB)

clic here for 70% size 2002 x 1137 (753 kB)

About this Image

This widefield image of the central Orion shows one of the brightest and most complex Nebula areas.
Dust and glowing gas are widely spread between the brighter structures that include embedded star birth areas;
M42 (Great Orion Nebula), M43, NGC1977 (Running Man Nebula), NGC2024 (Flame Nebula), IC434 (Horsehead Nebula) are the most known objects


Technical Details
Optics

Canon EF 300mm L lens at f/2.8

Mount MK-100 GEM
Camera SBIG STL-11000M at -25C, internal filter wheel
Filters Astronomik LRGB + 15nm H-alpha
Date 23 Jan 2004.
Location Wildon/Austria
Sky Conditions mag 5.5, high transparency, temperature 0C
Exposure (Ha):L:R:G:B = 120:60:30:30:30 minutes (10-minute sub-exposures).
Processing Image calibration in ImagesPlus
H-alpha blended with luminance and red channel in Photoshop