The Crab Nebula in Oxygen[III] and Hydrogen-alpha Emission

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Photographer:

Steve Pastor

Location of Photo:

Mayhill, New Mexico

Date/Time of photo:

6, 22 Nov 2015; 5, 6,, 16, 17 Dec 2015; 3 Jan 2016

Equipment:

This bi-color image is a total of 17 hrs 20 min exposure using a Takahashi CCA-250 f/5 astrograph and a QSI683wsg CCD camera (Astrodon Gen 2 filters; H-alpha 5 nm; O[III] 3 nm) on a Paramount ME (26 x 1200 sec O[III] lights, 26 x 1200 sec H-alpha lights; 21 darks, 126 bias, and corresponding flats and flat darks). Color assignment H-alpha = red; 15:83 H-alpha:O[III] = green; O[III] = blue; processed in PixInsight 1.8.4.1195

Description:

Messier 1, the Crab Nebula, is a supernova remnant found in the constellation Taurus. M1 was discovered by John Bevis in 1731 (independently discovered by Charles Messier in 1758). Admiral Smyth describes M1 as a “large nebula, pearly white” and of “oval form” in his Cycle of Celestial Objects (2nd edition, page 145).

Website:

for a larger image see http://astronomersgroup.org/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=409&fullsize=1