Object Information:

 

Messier 78 is the brightest diffuse reflection nebula observable in our night sky.  The reflection nebula complex depicted in the image above consists of NGC 2068 [left of center], NGC 2064 [right of center], and NGC 2071 [above and left of center].  The illuminated portions in the image above are a portion of a much larger cloud of interstellar dust.  The blue color we see in this image is the reflected light of bright blue "early B-type" stars associated with the dust cloud.

 

Messier 78 is about 1,600 light years distant.

 

To read more about Messier 78 see:  http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m078.html

  Imaged at: 

 

Vallecitos Campground, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, California;
Elevation - 1500 feet

  Equipment:  

 

Optics -   Takahashi Epsilon 160,
Mount - Astro Physics 1200 GTO,
Camera - Santa Barbara Instrument Group (SBIG) ST-2000 CCD,
Filter - SBIG CFW-8 with CRGB filters

  Exposure Information:

 

November 18-19, 2006
LRGB image - Luminance - 60 min., Red - 114 min., Green - 114 min., Blue - 114 min.  

  Camera Control Software:

 

CCD Soft Ver. 5

  Image Processing Software:

 

Image calibration - MIRA AP 7; Final processing - Photoshop CS