M78 Reflection Nebula (LRGB)
Situated among the rich nebulosity contained in the constellation Orion is the sky's brightest diffuse reflection nebula M78 (NGC 2068). M78 belongs to the same complex of nebulosity that includes the famous Orion Nebula (M42 and M43). Located to the northeast of M78 (the brightest nebulosity in this image) is NGC 2071. Very close and to the northwest of M78 is NGC 2067 and NGC 2064 is very close to and southwest of M78. As a reflection nebula, M78 is a cloud of interstellar dust which shines in the reflected and scattered light of bright blue (early B-type) stars, among them the brightest, HD 38563A, and second-brightest HDE 38563B, both of about 10th visual apparent magnitude. The nature of M78 as a reflection nebula was discovered by Vesto M. Slipher of Lowell Observatory in 1919 (Slipher 1919), by the investigation of its spectrum: M78 exhibits a continuous spectrum, which resembles that of the bright stars enlightening it. At its distance, M78 measures almost 4 light years in extension. (reference: http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/messier/m/m078.html) Click on the images below to read Rob Gendler's excellent description of M78 and to view close up images of the various objects in this field.
Image Details
| Target: | M78 (NGC 2068), NGC 2067, NGC 2071, NGC 2064 |
| Coordinates (Center - J2000): | RA 05h 46m 56s ; Dec +00d 09m 45s |
| Date: | 05 January 2008 |
| Constellation: | Orion |
| Imaging Location: | Chiefland, Florida |
| Camera: | SBIG ST-8XME & CFW-10 Color Filter Wheel |
| Filters: | Astrodon Series E Tru-Balance LRGB |
| Telescope: | Takahashi TSA-102S 4" APO Triplet f/8 (FL = 814mm) |
| Mount: | Takahashi EM-200 Temma II GEM (12 VDC) |
| Image Scale: | 2.28 arcseconds per pixel |
| CCD Temperature: | -20 C |
| L:R:G:B Exposures: | 50:50:50:50 minutes (L=5x600s / RGB=5x600s each) |
| Mount Control Software: | The Sky 6.0.0.52 |
| Camera Control Software: | CCDSoft 5.00.182 |
| Focus Control Software: | FocusMax 3.3.15 |
| Executive Control Software: | CCD Commander 1.4.5 |
| Sub-frame Registration Software: | Registar |
| Calibration and Combining Software: | CCDStack |
| Final Processing Software: | Photoshop CS |
Additional Information
Description of M78 (By Rob Gendler): http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/M78text.html
Close-up of NGC 2071 (Upsized 125%): m78_lrgb_01052008_close2.jpg
Close-up of NGC 2067, 2068, 2064 (Upsized 150%): m78_lrgb_01052008_close1.jpg
