This is a portrait of most of the northern constellation of Cepheus the King, shot and processed to emphasize the rich collection of bright and dark n
This is a portrait of most of the northern constellation of Cepheus the King, shot and processed to emphasize the rich collection of bright and dark nebulas within its borders. North is up in this framing. The lower portion of the image contains the Milky Way and is rich in bright stars, emission nebulas, but also dark dust lanes that stand out easily. The brightest nebula at bottom is IC 1396, sometimes called the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, though that name applies only to a dark nebula within its boundaries. On the northern edge of IC 1396 is the orange star Mu Cephei, aka the Garnet Star for its red appearance in the eyepiece. The dark nebula to the left of IC 1396 is Barnard 169-70-71. The arc of dimmer pink nebulosity to the right of IC 1396 is Sharpless 2-129, which has lately come to be known as the Flying Bat Nebula. Meanwhile, the small patch of nebulosity to the left of IC 1396 is Sharpless 2-132, the Lion Nebula. A smaller nebula above and to the left of the Lion at the left edge is NGC 7380/Sharpless 2-142, the Wizard Nebula, very small on this scale. Higher up at the left edge below centre is Sharpless 2-155, the Cave Nebula. Lots of fainter wisps of pink emission nebulosity permeate the constellation At top, well above the Milky Way, the field is yellowed by dust clouds, punctuated by bright blue reflection nebulas. At upper right, looking starlike, is NGC 7023, the Iris Nebula above a small lane of dust. At upper centre is the dusty yellow region containing the Dark Shark (aka LDN 1235) and the Wolf's Cave Nebulas (aka B175), and the blue reflection nebulas van den Bergh 150 and 152, respectively. But they are very small on this scale. The field of view isn't quite tall enough to take in the top, or northernmost star in Cepheus, Errai or Gamma Cephei. This is a stack of 40 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
Size: 4480px × 6720px
Photo credit: © Alan Dyer / VWPics / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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