PHOTOGRAPH #156 · nebulae
M78, NGC2068
Randal Healey · Utahopia Observatory
M78 in HA,LRGB
(I went after much more HA than in the past and I think it made a major difference in the translucent overlapping HA cloud region in the upper left portion of the image.)
M78, NGC 2068) is the brightest diffuse reflection nebula in the sky, situated in the rich constellation Orion. M78 belongs to the Orion complex, a large cloud of gas and dust centered on the Orion Nebula M42/M43, and is about 1,350 light years distant, about the same as the Great Nebula.
As a reflection nebula, M78 is a cloud of interstellar dust which shines in the reflected and scattered light of bright blue stars. A large number of dramatic outflow sources are found in the region of M78; these so-called Herbig-Haro objects are presumably jets of matter ejected from young stars embedded in the nebulous matter of M78 where they have just formed.
Visually, M78 resembles a faint comet. It is just visible in binoculars under good conditions, as a very dim patch. Small telescopes show it remarkably bright.
Original description & acquisition details ↗(I went after much more HA than in the past and I think it made a major difference in the translucent overlapping HA cloud region in the upper left portion of the image.)
M78, NGC 2068) is the brightest diffuse reflection nebula in the sky, situated in the rich constellation Orion. M78 belongs to the Orion complex, a large cloud of gas and dust centered on the Orion Nebula M42/M43, and is about 1,350 light years distant, about the same as the Great Nebula.
As a reflection nebula, M78 is a cloud of interstellar dust which shines in the reflected and scattered light of bright blue stars. A large number of dramatic outflow sources are found in the region of M78; these so-called Herbig-Haro objects are presumably jets of matter ejected from young stars embedded in the nebulous matter of M78 where they have just formed.
Visually, M78 resembles a faint comet. It is just visible in binoculars under good conditions, as a very dim patch. Small telescopes show it remarkably bright.
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