This is a portrait of the dust-filled region of sky from Perseus down to Taurus that includes the pink California Nebula (NGC 1499) at top down to the
This is a portrait of the dust-filled region of sky from Perseus down to Taurus that includes the pink California Nebula (NGC 1499) at top down to the Pleiades star cluster (M45) at bottom. The field is laced with dark obscuring dust lanes that faintly glow blue at bottom, as they reflect the light from the Pleiades, to yellow-brown elsewhere. The dust is most prominent at centre right, around the star Omicron Persei, where there is also a small reflection nebula IC 348. At left are the dark fingers of the Taurus Dark Clouds catalogued by Barnard in the early 20th century with various B numbers such as B209 and B19. Above the Pleiades the brightest arc of reflection nebulosity is IC 353; below the Pleiades the relatively bright patch of reflection nebula is IC 341. A small reflection nebula, NGC 1579, glows yellow at upper left at the end of a dark lane. This is a stack of 48 x 2-minute exposures with the rare Samyang RF85mm lens stopped down to , on the Canon EOS Ra camera at ISO 800. The lens was equipped with a 77mm Nisi Clear Night broadband light pollution reduction filter which helps improve contrast and reduce sky gradients. The camera was on the Star Adventurer 2i tracker for tracked but unguided exposures over 100 minutes. Taken from home on a very clear night November 17, 2023. All frames stacked, registered and processed in Photoshop, with luminosity masks and filters applied to bring out the fainter nebulosity such as the dark clouds and faint wisps of blue reflection nebulosity. Plus the blending in of a "starless layer" helped emphasize the nebulosity over the starry background.
Size: 4480px × 6720px
Photo credit: © Alan Dyer / VWPics / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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