Triple APOD - September 11, 2024: Ionization Fronts and Dark Globules in IC 1396A by Harlen Dolphy-King
The Elephant's Trunk Nebula (IC1369A) is an area of ionization emission within the much larger nebulous region designated IC1369. It's a popular target for northern hemisphere photographers due to its proximity to the northern celestial pole, meaning it's always in the sky for almost anybody in North America or Europe. The whole nebula is ionized by one massive central star, however the dark globules of dust are only glowing on the surfaces facing this star due to the density of the dust in these star-forming regions. This ionization causes free hydrogen and oxygen gas to glow in vivid spectral colours, which can then be imaged by astronomers with filters that block everything but these wavelengths.
Imaging Telescopes: Sky-Watcher Explorer 150PDS
Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro
Mount: ZWO AM5
Filter: Optolong L-eXtreme 2"
Accessories: Sharpstar 2" 1x coma corrector (MPCC), ZWO ASIAIR Mini
Software: Fabien Chéreau et al. Stellarium · Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight · Russell Croman Astrophotography BlurXTerminator · Russell Croman Astrophotography NoiseXTerminator · Russell Croman Astrophotography StarXTerminator · ZWO ASIAIR
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