The Orion constellation is packed with astonishing nebulae such as the Great Orion Nebula (M42), the Horsehead Nebula (B33) and the M78 nebula. Yet many other nebulae remain mysteriously lesser-known and therefore less photographed!
Hidden on the outskirts of this constellation, close to the Witch Head nebula (IC 2118), we can find an area rich in interstellar gas and dust, but above all a little-photographed nebula!
This is the Cosmic Bat Nebula, catalogued as NGC 1788. It is flanked by the dark nebula known as Lynds 1616.
Despite its isolation from the bright stars of Orion, this nebula is strongly influenced by their powerful winds and lights, which give it its current shape and make it a nursery for new stars.
Located some 2,000 light-years from home, this faint nebula is made up of glowing gas illuminated by young stars, plus a light cloud of ionized Hydrogen.
The acquisitions were made by Aziz with the 20" CDK (508mm) at the ASO Observatory in Oukaimeden, Morocco.
We collaborated on the processing to highlight this magnificent nebula, often overlooked by astrophotographers.
To give the dust their natural colors, we subtracted the continuum on the Hα, and superluminance was used to enhance them.
Processing was carried out using the HαLRGB palette:
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