The Tarantula Nebula

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Larger image here

Tarantula Nebula is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This is is the most active and the most massive starburst region known in the Local Group of galaxies. Despite its huge distance of 160 000 light years, it can be seen by the naked eye. For comparison, the Great Orion Nebula is located about 1300 light years away (more than 100 times closer), it looks similarly britght by the naked eye.

Below you find a crop of the Tarantula Nebula.




Larger image here

Image details:

 - instrument: 200/750 Newtonian, 3" Wynne corrector (710mm effective focal length)
 - camera:

home-modified Canon EOS 5DmkII (Baader UV/IR filter inside)

 - mount: SkyWatcher EQ6 + Boxdörfer DynoStar
 - guiding: modified 9x50mm SkyWatcher finder scope (50/180mm), Lacerta-MGen stand alone autoguider
 - exposure time: 31x2,5 min (77,5 minutes total) @ ISO 1600
 - location, date: Hakos astrofarm, Namibia (1835m);  2010.05.12.
 - observing conditions: transparency: 8/10, seeing: 9/10, temp.: +15°C
 - processing: ImagesPlus, Registar, Photoshop
 

© Copyright Éder Iván 2011