IC 434 and M78 lie in the constellation Orion at a distance of about 1,500 light years and show two very different sides of interstellar matter. IC 434 is an extended emission-nebula region whose hydrogen gas is excited to glow by nearby hot stars. In front of it, dark dust clouds stand out as striking silhouettes. M78, on the other hand, is a reflection nebula whose bluish light is created by the scattering of starlight off fine dust particles. Together, both objects give an impressive insight into the active star-forming regions of the Orion arm of our Milky Way.
| IMAGE DATA | |
|---|---|
| Object | IC434 & M78 |
| Distance | approx. 1,500 light years |
| Date | 10.-12.12.2025 |
| Exposure | RGB each 32x 120sec., Luminance 235x 120sec. & Halpha 41x 300sec. - Total 14.5h |
| Mount | Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro |
| Telescope | Redcat 51 |
| Camera | ZWO ASI 2600mm with ZWO LRGB & HA Filter |
| Guiding | Zwo Asi OAG with ZWO Asi 290mm Mini & Asiair |
| Software | AsiAir, Astropixel Processor, Pixinsight, Photoshop CC, NoiseXterminator, Star X Terminator, BlurXterminator, Nik Collection 7 |