Part of IC 405 - Flaming Star Nebula

The Flaming Star Nebula, IC 405, mainly surrounds the star AE Aurigae and gives the impression that the star is burning, hence its name. AE is a small-amplitude variable star, which illuminates a reflection and an emission nebula around it. The reflection nebula appears in a deep blue color while the emission nebula mainly shines in red light which is emitted by the Hα line of excited hydrogen. In some places the reflection and the emission nebula overlay which results in a magenta color.

IC 405 - Flaming Star Nebula, Wright-Newtonian photograph - enlargement.

Exposure Data

Instrument: 9.5" f/4.9 Newtonian
F/stop: 5.6
Exposure: 11 x 10 min + 5 min + 2 min + 1 min
Camera: Canon 350D with Baader UV-IR-Cut-Filter
Sensitivity: ISO 800
Date: January 22, 2009
Exposure start: 23:51 MEZ
Location: Ebenwaldhöhe, Lower Austria
Conditions: Visual limiting magnitude 6.3 mag, Seeing 3.0" FWHM, Temperature -4°C, no wind, moderate humidity
Autoguider: Meade Pictor 216 XT, max. error: 1" (RA), 1" (Dec)
Enhancement: Basic data reduction, combine, logarithmic curves, background flattening, star size reduction, color correction, local contrast enhancement, noise filtering, dynamic range extension