The Horsehead area with a 13 inch f/3 telescope under superb transparency

[MelBartels]

1532

I guess the sketch says it all. Through my 13 inch f3 scope with H-Beta filter, the nebulosity just went on and on and on - never seen close to this extent. I spent half of my observing night tracing out all the extensions.

Mel Bartels

[Uwe Glahn]

Wow Mel,

stunning result. Perhaps very near the optimum of aperture and field for this object or better outer details. I never looked for the streamers and the inhomogeneous brightness in the outer regions of IC 434. I will revisit it with my smaller 8" f/4, thanks for the idea.

[MelBartels]

Afterwards, studying deep digital images, I see that there is more to the streamers past the bright star Sigma Orionis. I hope to inspect this area, even though it is out the field of view of the Horsehead itself. Mel

[wvreeven]

Congratulations, Mel, on being Astronomy Sketch of the Day:

http://www.asod.info/?p=14663


Clear skies,

Wouter