<![CDATA[ScienceDownEast - ScienceDownEast Astrophotography - NGC 2023 Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2024 Flame Nebulae (Latest images)]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:31:52 -0300 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:31:52 -0300 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Zenphoto RSS Generator <![CDATA[IC 434 S30Pro 114x30sec (NGC 2023 Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2024 Flame Nebulae)]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=IC-434-S30Pro-114x30sec.jpg IC 434 S30Pro 114x30secClick on the image to view it at full resolution, then click again for actual size.

The Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) and the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) are two iconic deep-sky objects located in the constellation Orion, just east of Orion’s Belt near the bright star Alnitak (Zeta Orionis). Both nebulae lie within the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex and are situated at an approximate distance of 1,300–1,500 light-years from Earth. The Horsehead Nebula is a dark nebula composed of dense, cold molecular gas and dust that obscures the glowing hydrogen emission nebula IC 434 behind it. Its distinctive silhouette, resembling a horse’s head and neck, is created by thick dust lanes blocking visible light. The nebula spans roughly 3.5 light-years in height and is a region of active star formation, though much of this activity is hidden from view by the dense dust. The Flame Nebula, also known as NGC 2024, is an emission nebula illuminated primarily by the intense ultraviolet radiation from the nearby massive star Alnitak. This radiation ionizes surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to glow, while complex dark dust lanes crisscross the nebula, giving it its flame-like appearance. Embedded within the nebula is a cluster of very young stars, many of which are still shrouded in gas and dust, making them difficult to observe at visible wavelengths. [from AI generated output]

Total image time was about 1 hour after culling some images.

Moon PhaseWaning Crescent 34%
Exposure114 x 30 sec
Gain200
CameraZWO SeeStar S30Pro [3840 × 2160] IMX585
OpticsZWO SeeStar S30Pro EQ mode [Focal length 160, Aperture 30 mm, f/5.3]
GuidingNA
ControllerNA
FilterIR Cut
LocationLower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date2026-03-04
ProcessingProcessed in PixInsight.
PixInsight Processing
WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script [ 2x drizzle ]
BlurXTerminator
GraXpert
NoiseXTerminator
MultiScaleAdaptiveStretch
HDRMultiScaleTransform
CurveTransformation


Date: March 08, 2026 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=IC-434-S30Pro-114x30sec.jpg Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400 <![CDATA[HorseHead Nebula dn Flame Nebula using Seestar S30 - about 2 hours exposure (NGC 2023 Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2024 Flame Nebulae)]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=masterLight_BIN-1_1080x1920_EXPOSURE-10.00s_FILTER-LP_combined_RGB_drizzle_2x_MAS.jpg HorseHead Nebula dn Flame Nebula using Seestar S30 - about 2 hours exposureClick on the image to view it at full resolution, then click again for actual size.

The Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) and the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) are two iconic deep-sky objects located in the constellation Orion, just east of Orion’s Belt near the bright star Alnitak (Zeta Orionis). Both nebulae lie within the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex and are situated at an approximate distance of 1,300–1,500 light-years from Earth. The Horsehead Nebula is a dark nebula composed of dense, cold molecular gas and dust that obscures the glowing hydrogen emission nebula IC 434 behind it. Its distinctive silhouette, resembling a horse’s head and neck, is created by thick dust lanes blocking visible light. The nebula spans roughly 3.5 light-years in height and is a region of active star formation, though much of this activity is hidden from view by the dense dust. The Flame Nebula, also known as NGC 2024, is an emission nebula illuminated primarily by the intense ultraviolet radiation from the nearby massive star Alnitak. This radiation ionizes surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to glow, while complex dark dust lanes crisscross the nebula, giving it its flame-like appearance. Embedded within the nebula is a cluster of very young stars, many of which are still shrouded in gas and dust, making them difficult to observe at visible wavelengths. [from AI generated output]

Total image time was about 2 hours after culling some images.

Moon PhaseWaning Crescent 34%
Exposure269 x 10 sec + 77 x 1 min
Gain200
CameraZWO SeeStar S30 [1920 x 1080] IMX662
OpticsZWO SeeStar S30 EQ mode [Focal length 150, Aperture 30 mm, f/5]
GuidingNA
ControllerNA
FilterLight pollution filter (OIII 30nm/Hα 20nm)
LocationLower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date2026-02-05 and 2026-02-10
ProcessingProcessed in PixInsight.
PixInsight Processing
WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script [ 2x drizzle ]
BlurXTerminator
GraXpert
NoiseXTerminator
MultiScaleAdaptiveStretch
HDRMultiScaleTransform
CurveTransformation


Date: February 11, 2026 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=masterLight_BIN-1_1080x1920_EXPOSURE-10.00s_FILTER-LP_combined_RGB_drizzle_2x_MAS.jpg Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:04:24 -0400 <![CDATA[HorseHead Nebula dn Flame Nebula using Seestar S30 (NGC 2023 Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2024 Flame Nebulae)]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=masterLight_BIN-1_1080x1920_EXPOSURE-10.00s_FILTER-LP_combined_RGB_-1-.jpg HorseHead Nebula dn Flame Nebula using Seestar S30Click on the image to view it at full resolution, then click again for actual size.

The Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) and the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) are two iconic deep-sky objects located in the constellation Orion, just east of Orion’s Belt near the bright star Alnitak (Zeta Orionis). Both nebulae lie within the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex and are situated at an approximate distance of 1,300–1,500 light-years from Earth. The Horsehead Nebula is a dark nebula composed of dense, cold molecular gas and dust that obscures the glowing hydrogen emission nebula IC 434 behind it. Its distinctive silhouette, resembling a horse’s head and neck, is created by thick dust lanes blocking visible light. The nebula spans roughly 3.5 light-years in height and is a region of active star formation, though much of this activity is hidden from view by the dense dust. The Flame Nebula, also known as NGC 2024, is an emission nebula illuminated primarily by the intense ultraviolet radiation from the nearby massive star Alnitak. This radiation ionizes surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to glow, while complex dark dust lanes crisscross the nebula, giving it its flame-like appearance. Embedded within the nebula is a cluster of very young stars, many of which are still shrouded in gas and dust, making them difficult to observe at visible wavelengths. [from AI generated output]

Total image time was 40 minutes after culling 1 hr of exposures.

Moon PhaseWaning Gibbous 80%
Exposure240 x 10 sec
Gain200
CameraZWO SeeStar S30 [1920 x 1080] IMX662
OpticsZWO SeeStar S30 EQ mode [Focal length 150, Aperture 30 mm, f/5]
GuidingNA
ControllerNA
FilterLight pollution filter (OIII 30nm/Hα 20nm)
LocationLower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date2026-02-05
ProcessingProcessed in PixInsight.
PixInsight Processing
WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script [ 2x drizzle ]
BlurXTerminator
GraXpert
NoiseXTerminator
StarXTerminator
Generalized Hyperbolic Stretch on both the stars and starless images
HDRMultiScaleTransform on the Starless image
PixelMath to recombine the images
CurveTransformation


Date: February 06, 2026 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=masterLight_BIN-1_1080x1920_EXPOSURE-10.00s_FILTER-LP_combined_RGB_-1-.jpg Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0400 <![CDATA[Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) and the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) - S30 (NGC 2023 Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2024 Flame Nebulae)]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=horseheadv2.jpg Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) and the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) - S30 Click on the image to view it at full resolution, then click again for actual size.

The Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) and the Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) are two well-known nebulae located in the constellation Orion, embedded within the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. The Horsehead Nebula is a dark nebula whose distinctive shape is created by dense interstellar dust silhouetted against the glowing hydrogen emission of the background nebula IC 434. Its iconic profile is sculpted by radiation and stellar winds from nearby massive stars. Just to the east lies the Flame Nebula, an emission nebula illuminated by intense ultraviolet radiation from the nearby star Alnitak, the easternmost star of Orion’s Belt. Dark dust lanes cut through the glowing gas, creating a flame-like appearance and revealing regions of active star formation. Together, these nebulae offer a striking contrast between light and dark and are among the most frequently imaged deep-sky objects in the winter sky. [from general astronomy references]

Total image time was 17 minutes.

Moon PhaseWaxing Gibbous
Exposure17 x 60 sec
Gain200
CameraZWO SeeStar S30 [1920 x 1080] IMX662
OpticsZWO SeeStar S30 EQ mode [Focal length 150, Aperture 30 mm, f/5]
GuidingNA
ControllerNA
FilterLight pollution filter (OIII 30nm/Hα 20nm)
LocationLower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date2025-12-28
ProcessingProcessed in PixInsight.
WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script [ 1x drizzle ]
BlurXTerminator
GraXpert
NoiseXTerminator
StarXTerminator
Generalized Hyperbolic Stretch on both the stars and starless images
HDRMultiScaleTransform on the Starless image
PixelMath to recombine the images
CurveTransformation


Date: January 15, 2026 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=horseheadv2.jpg Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:45:03 -0400 <![CDATA[Horsehead and Flame Nebula 15x20min (NGC 2023 Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2024 Flame Nebulae)]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=Horsehead_and_Flame_FILTER_LPR_EXPTIME_1200_integration_ABE_HT_1614885148.jpg Horsehead and Flame Nebula 15x20min
NGC 2023, the Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) is a small dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just to the south of Alnitak, the easternmost star of Orion's Belt. It appears within the southern region of the dense dust cloud known as Lynds 1630, along the edge of the much larger, active star-forming H II region called IC 434. The Horsehead Nebula is approximately 1,375 light-years from Earth. The Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) is an emission nebula about 900 to 1,500 light-years away.
Exposure15@1200 sec (5 hours)
ISO800
CameraNikon Z7 [8856 x 5504]
OpticsSkywatcher Esprit 120mm Refractor, 840 mm focal length
FilterRadian Triad Ultra Quad-Band Narrowband Filter
GuidingPhd2 using a ZWO 224MC on an Orion 60x240mm Guide scope
ControllerImages taken using Kstars on an Odroid-N2 (Raspberry Pi clone)
LocationLower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date2021-02-26
PixInsight Processing
WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script
Dynamic Crop
Automatic Background Extractor
ColourCalibration (both saturation and hue)
MultiscaleLinearTransform
HistogramTransform
CurvesTransformation
Further tweaking for colour in Lightroom

Date: March 26, 2025 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=Horsehead_and_Flame_FILTER_LPR_EXPTIME_1200_integration_ABE_HT_1614885148.jpg Thu, 04 Mar 2021 15:11:02 -0400 <![CDATA[Horsehead and Flame Nebula 8x20min (NGC 2023 Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2024 Flame Nebulae)]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=integration_DBE_2021-02-27.jpg Horsehead and Flame Nebula 8x20min
NGC 2023, the Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) is a small dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just to the south of Alnitak, the easternmost star of Orion's Belt. It appears within the southern region of the dense dust cloud known as Lynds 1630, along the edge of the much larger, active star-forming H II region called IC 434. The Horsehead Nebula is approximately 1,375 light-years from Earth. The Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) is an emission nebula about 900 to 1,500 light-years away.
Exposure8@1200 sec (2 hours and 40 minutes)
ISO800
CameraNikon Z7 [8856 x 5504]
OpticsSkywatcher Esprit 120mm Refractor, 840 mm focal length
FilterRadian Triad Ultra Quad-Band Narrowband Filter
GuidingPhd2 using a ZWO 224MC on an Orion 60x240mm Guide scope
ControllerImages taken using Kstars on an Odroid-N2 (Raspberry Pi clone)
LocationLower Sackville, Nova Scotia.
Date2021-02-26
PixInsight Processing
WeightedBatchPreprocessing Script
Dynamic Crop
Automatic Background Extractor
ColourCalibration (both saturation and hue)
MultiscaleLinearTransform
HistogramTransform
CurvesTransformation
Further tweaking for colour in Lightroom

Date: March 26, 2025 ]]> https://sciencedowneast.com/zenphoto/index.php?album=Nebulae/NGC-2023-Horsehead-Nebula&image=integration_DBE_2021-02-27.jpg Sat, 27 Feb 2021 14:43:19 -0400