Rosette Nebula, NGC 2244

[smr]

I've wanted to photograph the Rosette Nebula since I started astrophotography, and after two weeks of thick cloud last night I set about it.
It's a cosmic cloud of gas and dust which is around 5,000 light years away from Earth, in the constellation Monoceros.
The shape of the Nebula was sculpted by the winds and radiation of the cluster of young stars in the center of the Rosette, known as NGC 2244.

Acquisition: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro, Canon 80D (unmodded), William Optics Z73 Refractor Telescope
1 hour 22 minutes x 60 & 30 second light frames, 50 bias, 30 flats.

Rosette Nebula by Joel Spencer, on Flickr

 

[StewartR]

Very nicely done. Care to share some technical information regarding how you took the photo?

 

[Jannyfox]

Very nice. One that's on my hit list and would probably be perfect for my big lens. I need to wait till March till it comes into the evening sky for me. I only get half the sky (west) from my patio. I could go out at 0300 now......................... but sadly I'm not that keen any more.

 

[smr]

Very nicely done. Care to share some technical information regarding how you took the photo?

Thanks Stewart, updated the OP.

Very nice. One that's on my hit list and would probably be perfect for my big lens. I need to wait till March till it comes into the evening sky for me. I only get half the sky (west) from my patio. I could go out at 0300 now......................... but sadly I'm not that keen any more.

Thanks Janny, which lens would that be?

 

[StewartR]

Thanks Stewart, updated the OP.

Thanks.

I've researched the specs of your telescope and it seems to be a 430mm f/5.9. So interestingly that's well within the range of many telephoto lenses.

 

[Jannyfox]

Thanks Janny, which lens would that be?

Sigma 150-600C, on a Canon crop sensor. The one I used for the Orion Nebula and its companions, and the Andromeda Galaxy. I was considering buying a small wide field refractor similar to yours last year but decided not to. As Stuart says, it's within the capabilities of my lens. Also when I picked one up I was quite surprised by the weight of it, which was a major downside for my mount, so I decided to save the money. The lens cost more than the scope but of course I already had it, although I hadn't really bought it with astro in mind.

 

[smr]

Thanks.

I've researched the specs of your telescope and it seems to be a 430mm f/5.9. So interestingly that's well within the range of many telephoto lenses.

It is and many people use their telephoto lenses for astrophotography, I opted to buy a telescope though because the focusing is amazing with a rack and pinion focuser and there are less elements of glass and optics for the light to travel to the sensor.

 

[smr]

Sigma 150-600C, on a Canon crop sensor. The one I used for the Orion Nebula and its companions, and the Andromeda Galaxy. I was considering buying a small wide field refractor similar to yours last year but decided not to. As Stuart says, it's within the capabilities of my lens. Also when I picked one up I was quite surprised by the weight of it, which was a major downside for my mount, so I decided to save the money. The lens cost more than the scope but of course I already had it, although I hadn't really bought it with astro in mind.

That is a great lens, I had the exact same one, but sold it to buy my telescope.