IC 426
IC 426 is a reflection nebula in the constellation of Orion. Reflection nebulae often look a ghostly bluish color because they reflect scattered light from bright stars nearby (the red light is absorbed by dust in the nebula). Mintaka, the westernmost star in the belt of Orion, is thought to be the star illuminating IC 426.
| Observatory: | Kitt Peak National Observatory Kitt Peak, Arizona |
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| Telescope: | KPNO 4-Meter |
| Instrument: | Mosaic I |
| Astronomer: | T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and H. Schweiker (WIYN and NOAO/AURA/NSF) |
| Date of Observation: | 10-24-2008 |
| Filters and Assigned Colors: | B (blue), V (green) and I (red) |
| Exposure Times: | 5x8min for B, 5x3min for V and 5x3min for I |
| Location of Image: | Orion |
| Field of View: | 35.9 x 13.0 arcmin |
| Orientation: | North is up, East is to the left |
| Link to Larger Image | |
| Link to Full Resolution Image | |
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