Sword of Orion

Orion - Multi-Object Image - Digital SLR

The Sword of Orion - M42, M43, The Running Man, and NGC 1981

Perhaps the most photographed and spectacular region of the sky! The "sword of Orion" extends from near the belt stars of the constellation of Orion through the bottom of the Great Orion Nebula, shown here at the bottom of the image. At the top of the image is a spectacular group of 8 stars of similar magnitude known as NGC 1981. Just below it is the "Running Man" Nebula (NGC 1973,1975, and 1977). This object would get far more notoriety if it weren't for it's huge neighbor, the M42 and M43 complex.

Location: Ballauer Observatory near Azle, Texas
Seeing: 7/10
Transparency: 6/10
Temperature: 35 degrees F
Date: January 19, 2004
Scope/Mount: Tak FSQ-106 @ F/5 and Celestron CGE mount
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel
Guiding: SBIG ST-7e on the AP 80/900mm guidescope
Exposure Info: 18 X 5 minute images; 1 x 1 minute image for mask
Processing Information: All images dark calibrated, aligned, Sigma median combined with a digital development stretch in Images Plus. Photoshop CS was used for image cropping, masking of the trapezium area, color balance and saturation increase, levels, and curves. No sharpening applied.

Exposure Notes: This is a first light image with the new Canon Digital Rebel. The file was saved as a Large JPEG instead of the RAW file format. Thus, lots of information was lost prior to processing. The picture was calibrated with single dark frame subtraction instead of the more recommended master dark subtraction. Diffraction spikes were created with a string affixed to the dewshield.