The Horsehead and Flame Nebula

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Below are 2 images of the Horsehead Nebula and Flame Nebula taken by member George Buckberry. The 1st on the 31st Dec 2025 having only 17mins and 45 seconds of total exposure and the 2nd on the 1st Jan 2026 having 1 hour and 15mins total exposure; both taken using a Dwarf3 smart scope.  The Horsehead Nebula is located in the centre of the images and the Flame nebula is located at the top middle of the images.

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The Horsehead Nebula, also known as Barnard 33, and its companion, the  Flame Nebula, sit near the star Alnitak in Orion's Belt. 

The Horsehead Nebula is a small dark nebula located about 1,375 light-years from Earth and is located just south of Alnitak,  the easternmost star of Orion's Belt and is part of the much larger Orion molecular cloud complex within the Orion B cloud. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae because of its resemblance to a horse's head.

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The Flame Nebula, designated as NGC 2024 and Sh2-277, is an emission nebula also in the constellation Orion.  It is about 1350 light-years away.  The Flame Nebula also lies within the Orion B cloud of the larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex.

The bright star Alnitak the easternmost star in Orion's Belt, appears very close to the Flame Nebula in the sky. But the star and nebula are not physically associated with one another. Alnitak lies 1260 light-years from Earth.

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The Rosette Nebula

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A stunning image of the Rosette Nebula taken by Kevin Smith on the 27th Dec 2025 using a Dwarf3 smartscope.  The image is a total of 5 hours and 57 mins of exposure.

The Rosette Nebula (also known as Caldwell 49) is a huge star-forming region spanning 100 lightyears across and located 5,000 lightyears away.

It can be seen in the Monoceros constellation in the winter months and is located between stars Betelgeuse in Orion and Procyon in Canis Minor.  Draw a line between Betelgeuse and Procyon, look just south of that line, about halfway along, and you will find it.

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17th/18th November 2025 images by George Buckberry

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The latest images from member George Buckberry. Taken using a Dwarf3 smart scope.

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Dwarf3 images by Dr. Mike Rushton

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Two super images taken by Dr. Mike Rushton using his Dwarf3 smart scope on the 12th November 2025 of the North America Nebula (Caldwell 20) and the Sun.

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George Buckberry’s Dwarf3 images from the 8th and 9th November 2025

A super collection of images taken by member George Buckberry on the 8th and 9th November 2025 using his Dwarf3 smart scope.  

The Moon:  16 subs at 1/400th S exposure, Gain=0 and a Vis filter.

 

Details of how George took the rest of his images with the Dwarf3 are on written the photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dwarf3 images by Kevin Smith

Two super deep sky images by member Kevin Smith taken using his Dwarf3 smart scope from Deal in Kent.  The first image is of the North American Nebula and the second of the Maia Nebula. 

The North America Nebula, also known as NGC 7000 or Caldwell 20, is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, close to the star Deneb. It is named because its shape resembles North America.

 

The Maia Nebula is a bright reflection nebula in the Pleiades cluster (M45) within the constellation Taurus. The nebula has the designation NGC 1432 in the New General Catalogue. The Maia Nebula is illuminated by and surrounds the blue giant star Maia (20 Tauri), the fourth brightest star in Messier 45 and is composed of interstellar dust that reflects the star's light creating a distinct ethereal appearance.  It is approximately 400 light-years from Earth.

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