Dates:April 27, 2019
Frames: 50x30"
Integration: 0.4 hours
Avg. Moon age: 22.65 days
Avg. Moon phase: 44.66%
Astrometry.net job: 2683541
RA center: 5h 16' 16"
DEC center: +34° 18' 36"
Pixel scale: 1.427 arcsec/pixel
Orientation: 339.017 degrees
Field radius: 1.270 degrees
Resolution: 1824x1228
Locations: Home, Houston, TX, United States
Data source: Backyard
This star is on FIRE! IC405 also known as the Flaming Star Nebula doubles as an emission and reflection nebula; emission because the ionized gases which make it up emit light at different wavelengths (as evident in the red and light blue ripples at its center) and reflection because it reflects the light from the star AE Aurigae (the bright star in the middle of the image). The Flaming Star Nebula is 1,500 light years from Earth and approximately 5 light years across.
This is my favorite nebula to image thus far. It proved to be a challenging target given that it's not very bright (magnitude 10.0) which made it difficult to locate and center in the frame (the light pollution I deal with on a nightly basis didn't help either!). The blue and red at the center truly make it appear as though AE Aurigae is keeping us warm with a camp fire in the night sky.
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