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THE ORION NEBULA IS ARGUABLY THE MOST FAMOUS, MOST OBSERVED AND MOST IMAGED DEEP SKY OBJECT IN THE NIGHT SKY. TO THE NAKED EYE IT IS THE MIDDLE 'STAR' IN ORION'S SWORD, PART OF THE CONSTELLATION OF ORION. THROUGH A SMALL TELESCOPE A LOT OF DETAIL CAN BE OBSERVED, AS AT MAGNITUDE 5 IT IS ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST DEEP SKY OBJECTS IN THE SKY  AS WELL. THROUGH A LARGE TELESCOPE SOME COLOUR IS VISIBLE, MY SOUTHERN SKIES ARE NOT VERY LIGHT POLLUTED AND THROUGH MY 8" SCHMIDT-CASSEGRAIN TELESCOPE THE ORION NEBULA HAS A MUTED PURPLE GREEN HUE TO IT EVEN ON A MODERATELY TRANSPARENT NIGHT. IT HAS THIS COLOUR VISUALLY BECAUSE OUR EYE'S AREN'T SENSITIVE ENOUGH TO PICK UP THE RED END OF THE SPECTRUM FROM FAINT OBJECTS AND AS FAR AS I KNOW THIS IS THE ONLY DEEP SKY OBJECT WHERE ANY COLOUR CAN BE SEEN.

SITUATED AT 1600 LIGHT YEARS FROM US, THE ORION NEBULA (MESSIER 42) IS ALSO PART OF THE SAME SPIRAL ARM IN THE MILKY WAY AS OUR SUN AND SOLAR SYSTEM. THIS DIFFUSE NEBULA HAS A LOT OF STELLAR NURSERIES WHICH CONTAIN HYDROGEN GAS, HOT YOUNG STARS AND STELLAR JETS SPEWING MATERIAL AT HIGH SPEEDS.

CAPTURE AND PROCESSING INFORMATION

CAMERA :  SBIG ST2000XM WITH CFW8

TELESCOPE :  ORION 80ED

FOCAL LENGTH :  600MM

MOUNT :  LOSMANDY G-11

GUIDING :  SELF-GUIDED WITH ST2000XM

COOLING :  -20 DEGREES

LRGB :  60/10/10/10

BINNING : L1X1 / RGB3X3

IMAGE SCALE : 2.54 ARCSEC/PIXEL

ACQUISITION : CCDSOFT

 PROCESSED : MAXIM DL, IMAGESPLUS, PHOTOSHOP

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COPYRIGHT OF GORDON MACKAY