The Cone and Foxfur Nebula
Constellation Monoceros RA 06h 42m Dec +09 54

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Cone and Foxfur Nebula

About this object

Text credit Wikipedia: This enigmatic formation of gas and dust lies in the constellation of Monoceros (the Unicorn) not far off the right arm of Orion. This is a close-up of a small section of a much larger complex, generally known as the Christmas Tree cluster. The mysterious Cone Nebula is also a part of this same cloud.
The red regions of this nebula are caused by hydrogen gas that has been stimulated to emit its own light by the copious ultraviolet radiation coming from the hot, blue stars of the cluster. The blue areas shine by a different process: they are mainly dust clouds that reflect the bluish light of the same
stars.
Its popular name arises because the nebula looks like the head of a
stole made from the fur of a red fox.

This image was taken with a 130mm refractor and SBIG STL 11K camera through Luminance, Red, Green, and Blue filters.
Image Details

  • Optics : Stellarvue SVS130 6 element refractor @f5
  • Mount: Paramount MyT
  • Camera: SBIG STL 11K
  • Filters: Custom Scientific LRGB filter set
  • Exposure: LRGB 160:60:80:80
  • Camera/Mount Control: Sky X, CCD Autopilot
  • Location: Star Dust Ranch, Okeechobee, FL
  • Date: Jan 16
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