Stacks Image 158

Orion and Barnards Loop

About this object

This is a wide fieldimage of the Orion nebula showing the arc like Barnards loop, which is a area of hydrogen emission circling half way around the well known Orion Nebula and Horsehead Nebula. The bright orange star Betelgeuse is in the upper left, Bellatrix upper right, the hot star Rigel in the lower right and Saiph lower left. These four stars make up the familiar part of Orion one can easily see on a winter night. The three star making up orions belt are seen near the center of the image. What cant be seen easliy without a camera is the red hydrogen emission that abounds in this area. Just to the north of Betelguese and Bellatix is another reddish emission nebula surround the star cluser CR 69. To the right of Rigel is the faint and bluish Witchhead Nebula.
Image Details

  • Optics : 35mm Canon Lens
  • Mount: Astrotrac
  • Camera: Modified Canon 350D
  • Filters: None
  • Exposure: 120min with 2min subexposures
  • Camera/Mount Control: Interval Timer
  • Location: Stark Bayou Observatory, Ocean Springs, MS
  • Date: 22 Jan 2011
Stacks Image 159
Stacks Image 160