A compact star-forming region in Orion with strong emission structure and dark dust lanes.
This frame remains part of the Lost Photons archive.
- What am I looking at?
- A compact star-forming region in Orion with strong emission structure and dark dust lanes.
- Where is it in the sky?
- Monkey Head Nebula (NGC 2174) lies in Orion, a winter constellation for mid-northern latitude observers.
- When is the best time to photograph it?
- Orion is best placed during winter (December through February), when it clears the horizon earlier in the night.
Capture summary
Nebula in Orion
12 Jan 2021 / Moon 1%
Ha, OIII, SII
Winter target / wide composition
- L-eNhance 3h 15m 39 x 300s / 12 Jan 2021 / Moon 1%
- Totals 3h 15m 12 Jan 2021 / Moon 1%
When to image this target
Nebula in Orion; best planned for December through February from New Jersey.
Winter targets reward clear, steady nights and usually climb well by late evening.
Assumes a New Jersey backyard horizon and evening imaging.
Emission nebulae are good candidates for narrowband filters; reflection nebulae prefer darker skies.
NGC 2174 is listed here in Orion.
Current frame: Narrowband / Ha, OIII, SII.
Live altitude, moon, and filter guidance
Calculating target altitude and moon context.
Use the full planner to enter a ZIP code, choose a date, and compare the target from your sky.
Based on the current time.
Green marks usable dark-sky altitude.
Next upper transit.
Approximate horizon crossing.
Moon phase and altitude.
Acquisition & processing notes
Filter channels, integration times, and capture dates for this frame. View on AstroBin.
- L-eNhance 39 x 300s, 3h 15m, 12 Jan 2021, Moon 1%
- Totals 3h 15m, 12 Jan 2021, Moon 1%
How I captured this
| Channel | Frames | Time | Moon |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-eNhance | 39 x 300s | 3h 15m | 1% |
| Totals | — | 3h 15m | 1% |
- Equipment used
- From my current rig
- Mount
- iOptron CEM60
- Telescope
- Explore Scientific FCD100 127mm Carbon Fiber Triplet APO
- Camera
- ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
- Filters
- Chroma 36mm Ha, OIII, SII, and LRGB (ZWO EFW 7×36mm)
- Focuser / rotator
- MoonLite NiteCrawler
- Reducer
- Starizona Apex ED 0.65×
- Guiding
- ZWO off-axis guider + ASI290MM Mini
- Control / power
- PrimaLuceLab Eagle 4S, Powerwerx PSU, Bioenno field battery, and MEGAbox
