The Herschel 400 Astronomical League Project is underway
It’s not too late to join. We are about 30 objects into the Herschel 400. Hope to get another session in soon. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel so you get notifications on LIVE STREAMS.
Angels in Monoceros: The Monoceros M2 Complex
The Monoceros R2 molecular complex (often shortened to Mon R2) is a massive giant molecular cloud and one of the nearest active star-forming regions to Earth. It's a dynamic stellar nursery embedded in dense gas and dust, where new stars—particularly massive ones—are actively being born.
Key Facts
Location: Southwestern part of the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn), near the border with Orion. It's part of the larger Orion-Monoceros cloud complex.
Distance: Approximately 2,400–2,700 light-years (around 830 parsecs).
Size and Structure: The main dense core is relatively compact (a few light-years across), but the overall molecular cloud and associated nebulae span a wide area—reflection nebulae alone stretch up to about 2° in the sky. It's situated well below the galactic plane, which makes it stand out in certain observations.
Age and Activity: Star formation here began roughly 6–10 million years ago. It hosts an OB association (young, hot, massive B- and A-type stars) that illuminates surrounding dust, creating prominent reflection nebulae with bluish hues. There's also significant emission from ionized gas (red glows) and dark nebulae that appear as shadowy silhouettes blocking background light.
Notable Features:
A central hub of massive star formation with embedded clusters, molecular outflows, and HII regions.
Infrared observations (like those from VISTA or 2MASS) penetrate the dust to reveal hidden young stars and protoplanetary disks.
It's a key site for studying early stellar evolution, variability in young stellar objects (YSOs), and the interplay between massive stars and their natal clouds.
The most famous and photogenic part of Mon R2 is the region around NGC 2170 (the Angel Nebula), a striking reflection nebula with wing-like dust structures, glowing blue from scattered starlight, mixed with red emission and dark lanes. Wider views of the complex reveal a richer tapestry of colorful gas, dust filaments, and star clusters.
Credit: GROK 2/28/26
Click on image for larger view.
New Astro Camera: OM-3
Join me for a LIVE conversation about this new astro camera coming to the market. Is this the best option for you? How does it compare to other options? https://www.earthandskyphoto.com Correction: when discussing Bulb mode with Canon, I incorrectly said it had a limit of 30”. I meant to say manual exposure has a max of 30”. In bulb, you need to use a remote control or app for exposure time control. The problem is you can’t set exposure time for stills in the camera menu. I was made aware that Olympus no longer owns the OM system. It is owned by Japanese industrial Partners, a private equity firm. For content on the OM-3 for astrophotography, please see Ben Chapell’s Narrow Band channel. https://youtube.com/@TheNarrowbandChannel?si=GcWY-BM9skG9LPhY
Deerlick Astronomy Village Images from May 2021
I had wanted to visit DAV for a number of years and May 2021 provided the weather window of opportunity I had been seeking. I visited the village for 3 wonderful nights from May 5-8, 2021. I detailed the visit in 4 travelogue videos as well as a summary video with images acquired. I hope you enjoy these images and take a moment to contemplate the beauty of God’s creation. Have a great day.
Appalachian Spring Video
Please take 3 minutes to experience the beauty of our Appalachian Spring.
Appalachian Spring 2021
Two days of exploring my local recreation area in West Virginia and taking in the beauty of spring.
The Needle Galaxy: Pixel Size Matters
An unexpected option in imaging hardware opens up. a whole new approach to imaging galaxies in 2021. Please see my latest image and YouTube video.
New Image: IC443 in Gemini
I am really falling in love with the 2.3 micron pixels of the 294MM Pro and this field of view. I do have some OIII data, but I am struggling with reflections on the two brightest stars in the field, Propus and Tejat Posterior. But I LOVE the starless capabilities with the 294MM pro at the 2.3 micron pixel configuration. The nebulosity just jumps and the jellyfish IC443 looks spectacular. Hope you enjoy the image. I am going to add it to the Fine Art Print collection right now.
Jeff's Blog
Join me on photography journeys from desert landscapes to deep sky wonders.
