About this Object:
The Rosette Nebula is a large, circular H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy. The open cluster NGC 2244 is closely associated with the nebulosity, the stars of the cluster having been formed from the nebula's matter. The cluster and nebula lie at a distance of some 5,200 light years from Earth (although estimates of the distance vary considerably) and measure roughly 130 light years in diameter. The radiation from the young stars excite the atoms in the nebula, causing them to emit radiation themselves producing the emission nebula we see. The mass of the nebula is estimated to be around 10,000 solar masses.

About this Photo:
This picture represents my most significant commitment to a single object yet. Nearly 7 hours of exposure captured on three nights. By using a Taurus Tracker off Axis guider, I was able to extend the individual exposure times to 10 minutes with excellent tracking. I also had to learn how to combine images captured in separate sessions. Due to setup, each nights pictures are slightly different.

Location: From my driveway in Georgetown, Texas
Telescope: Orion 80ED refractor @ f/7.5
Mount: HEQ-5
Guiding: Orion StarShoot AutoGuider / Taurus Tracker III OAG
Camera: Canon 40D Modified
Exposure: 41 x 600sec @ ISO 1600 (6hr. 50 min.)
Acquisition: ImagesPlus 3.75 Camera Control
Processing: ImagesPlus 3.75 – Darks,Flats,Bias
Post-processing: Adobe Photoshop CS3; Noise Ninja; Noel Carboni's Tools
Date(s): February 15, 16 & 17, 2010
Temperature(s): 24-40º F