Bill Richards
Well-Known Member
The Christmas Tree Cluster is a young open cluster which contains the Cone Nebula, the Fox Fur Nebula, and the Snowflake Cluster. The stars in the cluster formed within the emission nebula NGC 2264. They are still heavily obscured by the thick dust clouds that keep producing new stars. Radiation from the luminous young stars ionizes the surrounding clouds and makes them glow red in long-exposure images.
This is the result of 2-1/2 hours of exposure time on 2023-12-13 and another 6-1/2 hours on 2024-12-01.
Equipment and Software:
=======================
Mount: iOptron CEM40 w/iPolar
Imaging Camera: ASI2600MC-Pro
-----------------
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8 w/HyperStar (focal length: 390mm)
Auto-Focuser: Rigel Systems nFOCUS
Guide Camera: ASI120MM-Mini w/ZWO 30mm Guide Scope
Filter: AstroHutech NBZ dual-band
-----------------
Telescope: SkyWatcher Esprit 100ED w/focal reducer (focal length: 358mm)
Auto-Focuser: Pegasus FocusCube2
Guide Camera: ASI290MM-Mini on OAG
-----------------
Imaging S/W: NINA
Guiding S/W: PHD2
Image Processing S/W: PixInsight
Exposure Details:
=================
Camera Temperature -15C
Bias: 50
Gain: 100
48 x 180s with EdgeHD/HyperStar and AstroHutech NBZ dual-band filter
272 x 60s with Esprit 100ED
Plus 32x Darks, Flats, and Dark Flats
#NGC2264 #christmastreenebula #conenebula #foxfurnebula #amateurastrophotography #asi2600mc #asiweek #astronomy #astronomyphotography #astronomypicturesdaily #astrophotography #deepsky #deepskyobject #longexposure #nebula #nightphotography #nightsky #outerspace #photography #science #space #spacephotography #stargazing #stars #telescope #universe
This is the result of 2-1/2 hours of exposure time on 2023-12-13 and another 6-1/2 hours on 2024-12-01.
Equipment and Software:
=======================
Mount: iOptron CEM40 w/iPolar
Imaging Camera: ASI2600MC-Pro
-----------------
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 8 w/HyperStar (focal length: 390mm)
Auto-Focuser: Rigel Systems nFOCUS
Guide Camera: ASI120MM-Mini w/ZWO 30mm Guide Scope
Filter: AstroHutech NBZ dual-band
-----------------
Telescope: SkyWatcher Esprit 100ED w/focal reducer (focal length: 358mm)
Auto-Focuser: Pegasus FocusCube2
Guide Camera: ASI290MM-Mini on OAG
-----------------
Imaging S/W: NINA
Guiding S/W: PHD2
Image Processing S/W: PixInsight
Exposure Details:
=================
Camera Temperature -15C
Bias: 50
Gain: 100
48 x 180s with EdgeHD/HyperStar and AstroHutech NBZ dual-band filter
272 x 60s with Esprit 100ED
Plus 32x Darks, Flats, and Dark Flats
#NGC2264 #christmastreenebula #conenebula #foxfurnebula #amateurastrophotography #asi2600mc #asiweek #astronomy #astronomyphotography #astronomypicturesdaily #astrophotography #deepsky #deepskyobject #longexposure #nebula #nightphotography #nightsky #outerspace #photography #science #space #spacephotography #stargazing #stars #telescope #universe
