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Horse Head Nebula
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Image 1 Telescope: Meade LX 200 GPS 14" Camera: SBig ST8 Filters: C:B:V:R Exposure: 2000s:2000s:2000s:2000s Date: 21/02/06 Image 2 Telescope: 40 Inch Siding Spring Observatory Camera: WFI Filters: R Exposure: 5 minutes Date: 09/05
Common Name: The Horsehead Nebula Other Names: Barnard 33 Emission Nebula IC 434 RA: 05 40.9 Dec -02 28 Constellation: Orion Distance: 1600 light years The horsehead nebula is a dark nebula which lies in front of a more distant emission nebula. 1899 IC 434 first observed by Pickering photographically. 1900 Horsehead noticed on a photographic plate by Roberts. 1910 Recognised by Barnard The nebula is made up of a molecular cloud and dust. Brighter ribbons of gas seen either side of the neck are caused by a magnetic field. The background emission is produced by the UV light from sigma orionis. Dark nebula are often elongated like the horsehead (e.g. eagle nebula) and are sometimes refferred to as elephant trunks. The dark cloud is being eroded away from a nearby young hot star. The trunk points towards the star. The UV light slowly turns the molecular hydrogen hass into ionised hydrogen (HII) which is seen as a red colour. The horsehead will eventuall evaporate away and this may happen within a period of thousands of years.
