Barnard's Loop
Barnard's Loop was a very challengoing object to shoot and process. I think I could have really benefited from having a cooled camera on this target. Nevertheless, I did get some data, showing how the loop forms a faint outer ring around one side of the Orion Nebula complex, with M42, the Flame Nebula, the Running Man Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula just able to be recognized in the frame as well.
Equipment:
Canon T2i (550D) (astro modified by Gary Honis)
iOptron iEQ45Pro Mount
Canon 70-300 f/4-5.6 L IS Zoom lens at 70mm and f/4.5
QHY5L-II Guide Camera / Orion 8 x50 Guide Scope
Software:
Pixinsight Commercial Version 1.8.2 (Ripley)
Lightroom 5.6
Light Frames:
1 x 420 secs (7 minutes total) @ ISO 800
7 x 600 secs (1 hour 10 minutes total) @ ISO 800
8 x 420 secs (56 minutes total) @ ISO 1600
Dark Frames:
4 x 420 secs @ ISO 1600
Flat Frames
10 x 1/80th sec @ ISO 1600
Details about Barnard's Loop (Sharpless Sh 2-276) From Wikipedia:
Barnard's Loop (catalogue designation Sh 2-276) is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion. It is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex which also contains the dark Horsehead and bright Orion nebulae. The loop takes the form of a large arc centred approximately on the Orion Nebula. The stars within the Orion Nebula are believed to be responsible for ionizing the loop.
The loop extends over about 600 arcminutes as seen from Earth, covering much of Orion. It is well seen in long-exposure photographs, although observers under very dark skies may be able to see it with the naked eye.
Recent estimates place it at a distance of either 159 pc (518 light years)[1] or 440 pc (1434 ly)[2] giving it dimensions of either about 100 or 300 ly across respectively. It is thought to have originated in a supernovaexplosion about 2 million years ago, which may have also created several known runaway stars, including AE Aurigae, Mu Columbae and 53 Arietis, which are believed to have been part of a multiple star system in which one component exploded as a supernova.[3]
Full Wikipedia article found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnard's_Loop
