Showing posts with label Nebula. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nebula. Show all posts

Saturday, January 25, 2025

The Horsehead Nebula IC-434 | 01.24.2025


The Horsehead Nebula IC-434  | 01.24.2025

The Horsehead Nebula has always been one of my favorites, and tonight’s clear skies with only 21% moonlight made it a perfect opportunity to capture its delicate beauty. Located in Orion, near the star Alnitak, the easternmost star in Orion’s Belt, this dark cloud of gas and dust stands out dramatically against the glowing red hydrogen of IC-434, the emission nebula behind it.

At about 1,500 light-years away, the Horsehead Nebula is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, a vast region of space where stars are being born. Its distinct shape—resembling a horse’s head—is caused by dense clouds of interstellar dust blocking the light behind it. The surrounding reddish glow comes from hydrogen gas energized by nearby stars, like Sigma Orionis.

Winter skies are perfect for this kind of astrophotography—stable, crisp, and free from heat distortion.


© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Deep Sky Photography | 01.21.2025

Jupiter and Its Moons 

The Pac-Man Nebula 

Deep Sky Photography | 01.21.2025
Jupiter and Its Moons Jupiter and the Pac-Man Nebula 

Jupiter and Its Moons Jupiter accompanied by its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These tiny points of light lined up near the gas giant, each a fascinating world in its own right, visible even from millions of miles away.

The Pac-Man Nebula (NGC 281)
also known as NGC 281, has a unique shape, living up to its playful nickname. Glowing faintly in hues of orange and pink, it’s a stunning star-forming region surrounded by dark dust and intricate patterns carved by stellar winds and radiation.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

M42 Orion Nebula | 01.13.2025


M42 Orion Nebula | 01.13.2025

Believe it or not, we’ve had cloudy skies for almost a month at night. Tonight, the sky finally cleared, so I took the opportunity for some deep space photography. This is what the Orion Nebula (M42) looks like tonight, captured from my backyard at about 6:30.

The Orion Nebula, also known as M42, is a massive cloud of gas and dust in the constellation Orion, where thousands of stars are born. It’s the closest large star-forming region to Earth, located 1,300–1,500 light-years away. Visible to the naked eye, it appears as the middle “star” in Orion’s Belt and as part of the sword hanging below the three belt stars. Best observed in January, it’s a stunning feature of the winter sky, easily spotted under moderately dark skies.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved