NGC 2264 (Sh2-273) is the collective designation for the Cone Nebula, the Christmas Tree Cluster (Collinder 112), and the Fox Fur Nebula. This magnitude 4.5 region lies about 2,600 light-years distant in the constellation Monoceros and contains emission, absorption, and reflection nebulosity. The Christmas Tree Cluster was discovered by William Herschel in 1784 and the Cone Nebula was later discovered, also by Herschel, on December 26, 1785.
Hydrogen-alpha data:
Telescope: Stellarvue SV80S LOMO @ f/6
Accessories: Stellarvue SFF6 flattener; Dew control by Dew Buster
Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G controlled by EQMOD
Guiding: TS-OAG9 Off-axis, using a Starlight Xpress Lodestar via PHD
Camera: Atik 314L+ monochrome CCD @ -10.0C
Filters: Astronomik 6nm H-alpha
Exposure: 12 x 20min. (4hr.)
Acquisition: Images Plus Camera Control v4.0b
Processing: Bias calibration in Images Plus v3.80; bad pixel map in Nebulosity 2.3.6c; Registration in RegiStar; Min/Max excluded average & DDP in Images Plus
Post-processing: Adobe Photoshop CS4; Carboni’s Tools
Date(s): January 4, 2011
RGB Color data:
Telescope: Stellarvue Raptor SVR105 @ f/7
Accessories: Stellarvue SFF7-21 flattener; Dew control by Dew Buster
Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G controlled by EQMOD
Guiding: TS-OAG9 Off-axis, using a Starlight Xpress Lodestar via PHD
Camera: QHY9-C one-shot color CCD @ -20.0C
Filters: Astronomik CLS
Exposure: 44 x 5min. (3hr. 40min.)
Acquisition: ImagesPlus 4.0b Camera Control
Processing: Bias, flat calibration in Images Plus v3.80; bad pixel map in Nebulosity 2.3.6c; Registration in RegiStar; Min/Max excluded average & DDP in Images Plus
Post-processing: Adobe Photoshop CS4; Gradient XTerminator; Carboni’s Tools
Date(s): January 8, 2011
SQM reading (begin - end): 19.02 - 19.23